GOAT 
ALLEY 


Gulbertson 


GOAT  ALLEY 


GOAT  ALLEY 

A  TRAGEDY  OF  NEGRO  LIFE 


ERNEST  HOWARD  CULBERTSON 


CINCINNATI 

STEWART  KIDD  COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT,  1922,  BY 
STEWART  KIDD  COMPANY 


All  rights  reserved 


All  acting  rights,  both  amateur  and  professional,  are  fully  pro 
tected  under  copyright  law  and  are  reserved  by  the  author.    Ap 
plication  to  produce  GOAT  ALLEY  must  be  made  to  him,  in  care  of 
the  publishers,  Stewart- Kidd  Company,  Cincinnati. 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 
THE  CAXTON  PRESS 


TO 

FREDERIC  AND  ALICE  MULHERN  ROBINSON 


758177 


INTRODUCTION 

In  a  dingy  little  hall  on  a  side  street  Mr.  Ernest 
Howard  Culbertson  began  rehearsals  of  "Goat 
Alley/'  his  tragedy  of  Negro  life  in  a  Washington 
slum.  The  actors  were,  with  one  exception, 
amateurs — colored  working  people  who  gave  their 
time  and  services  for  the  sake  of  what  they  felt 
to  be  an  artistic  expression  of  the  life  of  their  race. 
The  author  had  no  sociological  intention;  he  had 
no  ambition  to  be  a  propagandist.  He  had  not 
even  a  special  interest  in  the  racial  problem.  He 
thought  that  he  had  come  upon  an  action  that  has 
the  quality  of  tragic  inevitableness.  He  thought, 
furthermore,  that  tragedy  does  not  reside  in  pomp 
and  circumstance,  but  in  the  profound  realities  of 
human  helpfulness  and  human  suffering,  and  that 
poor  Lucy  Belle  struggling  to  maintain  her  spirit 
ual  integrity  in  Goat  Alley  was  a  protagonist 
worthy  of  the  sternest  art  and  the  largest  sym 
pathy. 

He  built  up  his  action  from  within.  He  saw 
that  the  Negro  cannot  yet  hope,  like  the  white 
man,  to  transcend  common  standards.  He  must 
first  reach  them.  Hence  the  Negro  girl's  struggle 
for  her  own  integrity  is  not  yet  the  struggle  of 
Nora  or  Magda — the  struggle  to  be  true  to  her 
self;  it  is  the  struggle  to  remain  true  to  the  man 
of  her  real  choice.  To  transcend  a  necessary  order 
one  must  first  have  achieved  it.  The  achievement 
of  social  order  in  the  moral  sense  is  therefore  the 


INTRODUCTION 


right  and  necessary  aim  of  the  Negro  proletarian 
and  the  right  and  necessary  theme  of  a  drama 
dealing  with  his  life. 

In  the  play,  Lucy  Belle  fights  valiantly  her 
losing  fight.  Loneliness,  poverty,  ignorance,  ter 
ror,  drive  her  from  disaster  to  disaster,  from  one 
unwilling  infidelity  to  another.  But  she  never 
wavers  in  her  soul.  In  her  utter  confusion  and 
failure  she  kills  the  child  that  stands  between  her 
and  all  her  hopes  and  at  once  expiates  that  action 
with  her  own  death.  Neither  the  subject  nor  the 
circumstances  are  new.  But  novelty  is  no  mark 
of  fine  literature.  The  motives,  the  people,  the 
place,  the  color  of  life — these  are  new.  Every 
triangle  play  is  a  "Medea".  There  are  subjects 
that  are  classical  because  they  are  native  to  the 
character  and  circumstances  of  mankind.  Such 
is  the  subject  of  "Goat  Alley".  The  structure  is 
pure  and  uncompromising.  No  American  play 
has  had  a  finer  or  truer  moment  than  that  at  the 
end  of  the  second  act  when  Lucy  Belle,  her  lodger 
lost,  her  money  stolen,  her  child  crying  with 
hunger,  consents  quietly,  yet  in  such  despair,  to 
rent  her  vacant  room  to  the  worthless,  ingratia 
ting  barber.  Hauptmann  would  not  have  dis 
dained  that  quiet  moment  of  rich,  tragic 
implications;  Galsworthy  would  have  approved  it. 

No  competent  observer  will  fail  to  note  here  the 
evidence  of  an  effort  as  serious,  as  intelligent,  as 
sensitive  to  the  character  and  quality  of  what 
makes  tragedy  as  our  recent  theatre  has  produced. 

LUDWIG  LEWISOHN. 

New  York,  July,  1921. 
8 


GOAT  ALLEY 


CHARACTERS 

LUCY  BELLE  DORSEY 
SLIM  DORSEY 
SAM  REED 
AUNT  REBECCA 
LIZZIE  GIBBS 
JEFF  BISBEE 
CHICK  AVERY 
JEREMIAH  POCHER 

FANNY  DORSEY  )  ,>7.77 

>  Children 
ISRAEL  DORSEY  ) 

BABY 

POLICEMAN 


GOAT  ALLEY  was  first  publicly  presented  at  the  Bijou  Theatre, 
New  York  City,  on  the  evening  of  June  20,  1921. 


ACT  I 

The  curtain  rises  on  the  sitting-room  of  a  Negro's 
squalid  dwelling  in  Goat  Alley,  Washington, 
D.  C.  At  Right  Back,  there  is  a  door  giving 
directly  on  the  street  and  when  it  is  open  one  gets 
a  glimpse  of  the  miserable,  tumble-down  houses 
on  the  opposite  side.  At  Left  Back  is  a  window, 
with  one  pane  broken  and  an  old  shirt  stuffed 
in  the  hole.  The  one  or  two  old  rag-carpet  rugs 
which  lie  on  the  floor  serve  only  in  a  small  measure 
to  cover  its  bareness.  Several  old,  broken  and 
battered  chairs  stand  here  and  there  about  the 
room.  At  Left  Center  is  a  door  leading  into 
the  other  downstairs  room  of  the  house.  Between 
it  and  the  wall,  Back,  is  a  door  opening  into  a 
closet. 

There  is  another  door,  down  Right,  giving  on  a  flight 
of  stairs  which  lead  to  the  one  upper  room  of  the 
house.  Near  the  door,  Left  Center,  and  toward 
the  front  stands  a  battered  table  on  which  lie,  in 
disordered  array  newspapers  and  one  or  two  dog 
eared  books  with  their  backs  of.  It  is  evening  and 
a  lighted  oil  lamp,  with  the  chimney  badly  smoked, 
rests  in  the  center.  The  wick  is  turned  low  and 
the  guttering  flame  causes  countless  shadows  to 
disport  themselves  eerily  about  the  room.  Between 
the  door,  Left  Center,  and  the  door,  up  Left, 
stands  a  fancy  cupboard.  There  is  a  large 
easy  chair  between  the  table  and  the  wall,  Left 
ii 


GOAT  ALLEY 


Center.    Both  of  these  pieces  of  furniture  look  out 
of  place  in  the  room. 

Flamboyant  lithographs,  a  gilt-framed  picture  of 
Jack  Johnson,  wearing  his  golden  smile,  a  framed 
engraving  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  several  gro 
tesque  crayon  portraits  of  members  of  the  family 
adorn  the  dirty  and  discolored  walls.  An  old 
corset,  a  half -eaten  roll,  and  a  doll,  with  its  head 
off,  He  about  on  the  floor.  A  horseshoe  is  nailed 
over  the  center  of  the  door,  Back. 

Aunt  Rebecca,  an  old  coal-black  Negress,  enters, 
Back.  She  wears  no  hat  and  has  just  a  shawl 
thrown  over  her  shoulders.  She  presents  the  ap 
pearance  of  an  animated  mummy.  Her  eyes  are 
small  and  bead-like  and  shine  with  an  uncanny 
lustre;  her  hands  are  long  and  bony,  resembling 
the  talons  of  a  hawk.  She  glances  about  inquir 
ingly,  gives  an '  impatient  grunt,  then  turns  and 
slowly  closes  the  door. 

AUNT  REBECCA  (in  high-pitched  raspy  tones  as  she 

moves  to  the  Center) 

Lucy  Belle!    Oh,  Lucy  Belle! 
LUCY  BELLE  (from  the  next  room) 

Dat  yo',  Aun'  Becky? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yas,  honey. 

LUCY  BELLE 

Jes'  a  minute.     Changin*  mah  skirt. 

(Aunt  Rebecca  drops  into  a  chair,  Left  Center,  and 
begins  a  weird  and  doleful  chant.) 
12 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

Um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um 
— a — um — a!  Trouble  in  mah  soul!  Um — a — 
um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um 
a!  Trouble!  (High  treble)  Um — a — um — a — 
um — a — um — a — um — a!  Trouble  in  mah  soul! 
Um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  - 
um — a !  Trouble  in  mah  soul !  Um  —  a  —  um 
a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a ! 

(Lucy  Belle  enters,  Left.  She  is  a  frail,  light 
brown  young  Negress  of  about  twenty-eight.  She 
has  a  nervous,  hesitant — and  sometimes  wistful- 
manner.  She  wears  a  plain  black  waist  and  a 
black  skirt,  patched  in  several  places?) 

LUCY  BELLE  (feelingly,  as  she  kisses  Aunt  Rebecca) 
Aun'  Becky!  I'se  so  glad  ter  see  yo'  agin! 
'Deed  I  is ! .  (Draws  up  a  chair  and  sits  near  her.) 

AUNT  REBECCA  (affectionately) 
Po'ful  glad  ter  see  yo',  honey! 

LUCY  BELLE 

Seem  like  ole  times — seein'  yo'!    Lessee — how- 
some  long  yo'  all  been  'way? 
AUNT  REBECCA  (reflectively) 

Um !  Um !  (Puts  a  hand  to  her  head  and  purses 
her  lips.)  Dat  gin  got  mah  haid  all  tangle  up! 
Um!  Keep  tellin'  G'orge  whiskey  suit  me  bettah 
— but  he  like  gin.  How  long?  Um!  Um! 
Gawd-a-massy!  Be  a  yeah  in  Feb-wary! 

(Lucy  Belle  exclaims  incredulously.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Go  'long! 

13 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

Sho'  has!  I — I  was  free  men's  in  Cumberlan' 
wid  Sadie — she  dat  slim  yallow  one,  yo'  know — 
got  a  mole  on  dis  cheek.  (Indicates.)  Some  say 
dat  de  reason  she  so  lucky.  I  ain'  sayin'.  Up 
dere  mos'  six  mon's  wid  Em'ly — she  dat  fat 
brown  gal.  (Lucy  Belle  nods.)  An'  den  I 
reckon  'bout  fo?  mon's  in  Frederick  wid  Henry. 
(Throws  back  her  head  proudly.)  Henry  great 
,big  fine  lookin'  niggah.  Ain'  so  lucky,  dough. 
Bawn  in  de  da'k  ob  de  moon. 

LUCY   BELLE 

I  'member  him.  I  'member  seein'  him  'roun' 
yere  w'en  his  fader  died — ole  Uncle  Henry, — 

AUNT    REBECCA  (scornfully) 

Huh!  Dat  niggah  was'n'  his  fader.  No, 
indeedy!  Dat  lil'  scrootchin'  monkey  was'n' 
calc'lated  ter  be  de  fader  ob  no  boy  like  Henry. 

(Lucy  Belle  gives  an  exclamation  of  surprise. 
Aunt  Rebecca  sits  in  perplexed  preoccupation  for 
several  moments.  At  length  she  speaks  very 
slowly — dragging  out  the  words ,  one  after  an 
other.) 

AUNT    REBECCA 

'Deed  chile,  I  kain't  seem  ter  'member  who 
Henry's  fader  was.  Dat  gin  got  mah  haid  so 
tangle  up. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Lot  done  happen  since  yo'  been  'way. 

AUNT   REBECCA 

Don'  I  know  it!    Don'  I  know  it! 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(Fanny  Dorsey,  a  little  Negro  girl  of  eight \  and 
Israel  Dorseyy  a  little  Negro  boy  of  four ,  run  iny 
Left.) 

FANNY 

Mamma!    Yo'  all  gwine  'way? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  am'  gwine  nowhar. 

ISRAEL 

Mamma!     Git  me  some  candy! 
LUCY  BELLE  (harshlyy  as  she  rises) 
Yo'  all  hush!    I  ain'  gwine  ter  git  yo'  nuffin! 

FANNY 

Mamma!    I  wan'  ter  go  out  an'  play  wid  Gordy! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Shet  up!    Yo'  ain'  gwine  ter  play  wid  nobody! 
Git  in  dere  an' git  ter  bed !    Go 'long!    Yo' yere 
me?    (Threateningly.}    Wan'  me  ter  beatyo'? 
ISRAEL 
Mamma!    Git  me — 

(Lucy  Belle  grabs  them  roughly  and  pushes  them 
through  the  door,  Left,  dosing  it  after  them. 
Their  cries  are  heard  for  several  moments  and 
then  gradually  cease} 

LUCY  BELLE  (irritably) 

Some  day  Fse  gwine  ter  git  good  an'  mad  an' 
knock  dere  haids  off! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

How's  Sam — ? 

LUCY  BELLE   (drops  down  on  a  chair  near  Aunt 
Rebecca  and  exclaims  ecstatically) 
Jes'  great!    Aun'  Becky,  he's  de  bes'  ole  budigee 
in  de  worl' ! 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

Ain'  nobody  got  nuffin'  on  Sam. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  said  it!  Jes'  as  good  ter  me  as  he  know 
how  ter  be.  Do  ev'ythin'  I  ask  him. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Don7  haf  ter  tell  me  dat. 

LUCY    BELLE 

He's  de  onlies'  niggah  I  evah  loved. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Don'  make  'em  no  bettah  den  Sam. 

LUCY   BELLE 

He's  mah  honey-baby,  buddy  boy! 
AUNT  REBECCA  (with  a  good-natured  chuckle) 

Listen  ter  yo! 
LUCY  BELLE  (her face  clouding} 

But  he  ain'  had  such  good  luck  latejy — . 

AUNT    REBECCA 

How  come  dat — ? 

LUCY   BELLE 

I  dunno — .  Till  'bout  a  monf  ago  he  wuk 
steady  fo  de  Simpson  Express  Company.  Drive 
a  wagon  fo'  dem. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Dat  w'at  he  doin'  w'en  I  lef. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sho',  sho' — .  Good  job,  too.  But  de  wuk  gits 
slack — an'  dey  lets  him  out. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Go  'long! 

LUCY    BELLE 

He  try  an'  try  ter  git  anoder  job — but  could'n' 
seem  ter  fin'  nuffin'.    Times  is  bad,  yo'  know. 
16 


GOAT  ALLEY 


Neah  walk  his  feet  off  jes'  seein'  ef  he  kain't  git 
somefin'  by  de  day. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  don*  say! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sam's  as  steady  as  dey  make  'em.  Ef  he  am' 
wukkin  he  jes'  'bout  goes  crazy. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Don'  I  know  it. 

LUCY   BELLE 

So  finally  he  up  an'  gwine  ter  Baltimo' — an'  gits 
a  job  wid  de  Street  Departmen' — diggin' 
ditches  fo'  wattah  mains. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

In  Baltimo' — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas,  indeedy!  I  been  at  him  fo'  a  long  time  ter 
go  ovah  dere. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  is—! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Aun'  Becky,  dey's  some  niggahs  'roun'  dis  town 
— dat  jes'  watchin'  dere  chanct  ter  blackguard 
him  an  me — git  back  at  us  any  way  dey  kin. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (with  a  little  snort) 

Go  'long,  now — w'at  yo'  talkin'  'bout. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dey  sho'  is — !    An'  jes  as  soon  as  he  git  somefin' 
steady — an'  dat  pay  a  hT  bettah  we  gwine  ter 
move  ovah  dere. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (with  a  wail) 

Gawd-a-massy,  w'at  yo'  po'  ole  Aun'  Becky 
gwine  ter  do! 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Be  mighty  sorry  ter  leave  yo',  Aun'  Becky — ! 
AUNT  REBECCA  (with  facetious  fervor) 

Why,  chile,  w'at  yo'  'spose  I  done  come  back 
terWash'nin'  fo'? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  know  yo'  gwine  ter  miss  me — an'  I'se  gwine 
ter  miss  yo' — but  it  tain'  so  far  away  dat  I  kain't 
git  ovah — now  an*  den.    An'  yo'  kin  come  ovah 
an'  see  me — ! 
AUNT  REBECCA  (shaking  her  head) 

Lawsy,  lawsy — dat's  de  way.  Jes'  as  soon  as 
yo'  git  ter  likin'  somebody — dey  up  an'  gwine 
'way. 

LUCY    BELLE 

It  gwine  ter  be  bes'  fo'  bof  ob  us,  Aun'  Becky — ! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

I  reckon  yo'  know — but  jes'  de  same — 

LUCY    BELLE 

An' — an'  terday  I  feels  mo'  like  we  got  ter  git 
'way  den  evah. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

How  come  dat — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  know  Sam  ain'  nevah  had  nuffin'  much  ter 
do  wid  oder  gals. 

AUNT    REBECCA  (with  a  nod) 

He  don'  look  like  he  'ud  chase  'em  much. 

LUCY   BELLE 

He  don'!    He  am'  dat  kin'!    But— but  fo'  de 
las'  free  weeks  dey's  a  gal  dat  he  uster  know — 
long  time  ago — keep  comin'  'roun'  yere. 
18 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

Go  'long! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Her  name  Lizzie  Gibbs — an'  she  de  hardes'  ole 
yallow  gal  yo'  evah  seen. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

She  come  'roun'  yere — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sam  only  gits  home  onct  or  twict  a  week — 
mos'ly  only  onct.  I  alias  goes  ter  de  do'  w'en 
he's  yere — an'  ef  she  come — he  duck  upstairs 
fo'  she  kin  lay  eyes  on  him. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Would'n'  stan'  fo'  nuffin'  like  dat! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat  yo'  gwine  ter  do?  She  so  hard  she  liable 
ter  do  anathin'.  She — she  was  yere  dis  mawnin'. 
She  say  she  gwine  ter  keep  comin'  'till  she  see 
Sam. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Gawd-a-massy !    Put  de  ^o-lice  on  her — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (shakes  her  head) 

Ef  I  do  dat,  she  liable  ter  make  trouble— 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Wat  trouble  kin  she  make  ef  dey  locks  her  up? 

LUCY    BELLE 

She  might  make  trouble  'tween  me  an'  Sam— 
ef  she's  a  min'  ter — 

AUNT    REBECCA 

'Tween  yo'  an'  Sam — !     Go  'long! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sam  don'  care  no  mo'  fo'  her  den  he  do  a  rat- 
but  she  crazy  jealous — 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

'Co'se  she  is — an'  dat's  de  reason — 
LUCY  BELLE  (touches  Aunt  Rebecca  on  the  knee) 
I  tell  yo'  why  I  got  ter  go  easy  wid  her — till  I  see 
mah  way  out.    Maybe  yo'  kin  he'p  me — 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Sho'— ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  see  she's  de  onlies'  one  ob  all  dem  black- 
guardin'  niggahs  dat  uster  live  'roun'  me  ovah 
dere  in  Carter  Street — fo'  I  moves  yere  ter 
Goat  Alley —  (Breaks  off  and  stares  sombrely 
into  space  for  several  moments^  then  proceeds  with 
a  slight  catch  in  her  voice?)  Aim'  Becky,  I'se 
had  it  hard.  Ain'  nevah  had  much  luck — 
'deed  I  ain' — 'cept  meetin'  up  wid  Sam  agin. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  ain'  nevah  tol'  me  much  'bout  yo'se'f. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Nevah  tol'  nobody — much.    Wat's  de  use? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Go  on!    Wat's  on  yo'  min'? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Mah  moder  died  w'en  I'se  fifteen — an'  Pap  goes 
off  ter  Texas  an'  I  ain'  nevah  seen  him  since. 
Slim — mah  bro'der — he  was  jes'  a  lil'  kid — 
baby  mos' — an'  I  did'n'  have  no  oder  people. 

AXNT    REBECCA 

Bless  yo'  soul — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Done  mos'  anathin'  I  could — jes'  ter  make  a 
livin'.  Wuk  in  laundries,  cook,  wait  on  tables — . 
Starts  gwine  'roun'  wid  de  boys,  too.  Yo'  know 

20 


GOAT  ALLEY 


how  a  gal  is.  Meets  up  wid  Sam  an'  Jeff  Bisbee 
an'  Ed  Cales — an'  a  bunch-a  oders  like  dem. 
Jeff  hang  'roun'  aftah  me  mos'  all  de  time — an' 
Sam  do,  too.  Sam  alias  a  wuk  steady — but 
Jeff,  he  nevah  wukked  'less  he  had  ter.  He's 
—he  a  hard  niggah — alias  drunk,  an'  fightin' 
an'  shootin'  crap.  But — well — yo'  know  how  a 
gal  is —  (Aunt  Rebecca  grunts  and  nods.)  He 
looks  good  ter  me,  kase  he  wear  swell  clothes, 
an'  spend  money  free,  an'  boas'  how  many 
cops  he  cut.  Was'n'  long,  dough,  fo'  Jeff  git 
crazy  jealous-a  Sam — an'  one  day — down  yere 
in  Four-an'-a-ha'f  Street — dey  meets  up  an' 
has  a  fight.  (As  though  somewhat  thrilled  by  the 
memory  of  it.}  Man-day,  but  dey  flew  at  each 
oder!  Like  a  couple-a  wildcats!  But  de  po 
lice  bus'  in  on  'em.  Dey  ketch  Jeff— but  Sam 
git  away. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Mah  soul — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Jeff  gits  six  mon's  in  de  wukhouse.  I  meets  up 
wid  Sam  a  few  days  aftah.  Like  de  fool  I  is— 
I  'cuses  him  ob  startin'  de  fight. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Hush  yo'  mouf! 

LUCY   BELLE 

I  did'n'  know  who  did — 'zactly — but  I  was  sore 
kase  Jeff  was  in  jail.  He  been  takin'  me  'roun', 
yo'  see — spendin'  lots-a  money  on  me — an'- 
an' — Oh,  well  I  jes'  a  damn  fool,  kase  I  ain'  got 
nobody  ter  look  aftah  me.  (Shakes  her  head  re 
morsefully.)  Sam  gits  mad — an'  quits  comin' 

21 


GOAT  ALLEY 


'roun'  ter  see  me.  Tells  me,  now,  dat  he  git  de 
idea  dat  I  didn't  care  nuffin'  at  all  'bout  him. 
All  de  time  he  crazy  'bout  me!  (Pauses  a  mo 
ment  in  reverent  thought?)  He  was  livin'  ovah 
in  M  Street.  Ole  Lizzie  Gibbs  livin'  dere,  too. 
Dat's  whar  he  meets  up  wid  her.  She  had  been 
foolin'  'roun'  aftah  him  fo'  a  long  time.  Aftah 
dat  scrap  me  an'  him  had,  he  gits  so  down  in  de 
mouf  dat  he  takes  up  wid  her  fo'  a  while. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Dat  ole  yallaw  gal  yo'  jes'  tellin'  me  'bout? 
LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

Yas.  But  only  fo'  a  lil'  while — he  say.  He 
seen  right  away  how  hard  she  was — an'  dat  she 
was'n'  no  good — an'  he  draps  her  like  a  hot 
tater. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Reckon  he  would — ! 

LUCY   BELLE 

Den  he  decides  ter  beat  it — an'  goes  off  ter 
Atlanta.  Stays  dere  five  yeahs.  Only  come 
back  yere  'bout  a  yeah  ago. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

An'  yo'  am'  seen  him — all  dat  time? 

LUCY  BELLE 

No. 

AUNT  REBECCA 

Gawd-a-massy ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

But  he  say  he  was  thinkin'  'bout  me  all  de 
time!  Nevah  fo'git  me  an'  nevah  seen  any  oder 
gal  dat  he  like  bettah!  (Shakes  her  head.)  An' 
I  sho'  nevah  did  fo'git  him!  Ef  I'd  only  stuck 

22 


GOAT  ALLEY 


ter  him.  WoulcTn'  have  had  ha'f  de  trouble  I 
is.  Yo'  see— yo'  see,  aft  ah  he'd  been  gone ^ a 
while  I  began  ter  see  w'at  a  good  fellah  he'd 
been.  (Pauses  a  moment  in  sombre  thought) 
While  Jeff  was  in  de  wukhouse  I  marries  Ed 
Cales.  He  uster  bootblack  on  de  Avenue  an' 
carry  sample  cases  fo'  drummers.  Fo'  a  lil' 
while  he  drive  a  wagon  fo'  a  white  man  dat  run 
a  meat  stan'  on  Louisiana  Avenue.  But  mos' 
de  time  he  don'  do  nuffin'  but  lay  'roun  de 
house.  (Contemptuously.}  [He  wasn'  no  good— 
jes'  a  loafin',  no-count  niggah  dat  lay  'roun  an* 
let  a  gal  wuk  fo'  him — long  as  she  would  stan' 
fo'  it.  I  lives  wid  him  two  yeahs.  Den  one  day 
he  say  he  gwine  down  ter  Richmon'  fo'  a  few 
days,  beats  it  off— an*  I  am'  nevah  seen  him 
since. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  lucky  ter  git  rid-a  him  so  easy! 
LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

'Deed  I  was!  (Sighs  heavily.)  'Bout  free  mon's 
aftah  dat  I  meets  Jeff  Bisbee  ovah  in  Gerner's 
one  day — an' — an'  he  walks  home  wid  me.  Fse 
livin'  ovah  in  Carter  Street  den.  (Gives  a  little 
nervous  shudder.)  He  shoot  off  his  mouf  great. 
Tol'  me  how  much  he  think-a  me — an'  dat  I  is 
de  onlies'  gal  dat  evah  got  him  goin' — an'  all 
dat  kin'-a  stuff.  He  say  dat  he  broke — but  dat 
he  'spec'  ter  collec'  some  money  in  a  week  or 
two — an'  dat  he  don'  know  w'at  he  gwine  ter 
do  till  den.  Begs  me  ter  let  him  stay  dere  wid 
me  fo'  a  few  days.  (Drops  her  head  and  sighs.) 
I  finally  does.  De  longer  he  stay  de  harder  he 


GOAT  ALLEY 


git,  an'  by-an'-by  he  say  ef  I  don'  let  him  stay 
dere  all  de  time  he  gwine  ter  kill  me.  He  say 
ef  I  call  de  po-lice.  he  gwine  ter  lay  fo'  me — an* 
watch  his  chanct — night  an'  day — till  he  git  me. 
Hones',  I  gits  so  scar't  I  did'n'  hardly  know 
w'at  ter  do.  An' — an'  so  he  keeps  livin'  on  dere 
wid  me— an'  I  keeps  thinkin'  mo'  an'  mo'  'bout 
Sam — an'  wishin'  I'd  stuck  ter  him — an'  dat  I 
knowed  whar  he  was. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

'Deed,  honey,  I  knows  how  yo'  must-a  felt. 

LUCY    BELLE 

He  wuk  in  a  livery  stable  ovah  on  C  Street  fo'  a 
while.  Couldn'  git  him  ter  do  nuffin'  steady. 
Mos'  de  time  he  jes'  lay  'roun'  de  house  an* 
guzzle  gin— guzzle  gin— an'  w'en  he  ain'  doin' 
dat,  he  out  in  de  alley  shootin'  crap  wid  Mink 
Hall  an'  Slim  an'  dat  gang. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

He  wuss  den  no-count! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  was  a  fool,  I  knows — ter  stick  ter  him.  'Deed 
I  was!  But  Fse  so  scar't  an'  down  in  de  mouf 
dat  I  ain'  got  good  sense.  (Aunt  Rebecca  nods 
sympathetically.)  All  de  time  Jeff  keep  gittin' 
harder  an'  harder.  An*  me  wukkin'  mah  haid 
off ^  ter  feed  him  an*  de  chillen.  Ev'y  onct  in 
while  he  gits  mad  an'  beats  me  up.  Finally  I'se 

Fretty  neah  crazy.    One  night  w'en  he's  away 
eits  mah  broder  Slim  ter  come  ovah  an'  he'p 
me.     We  packs  ev'ythin'  up  an'  moves  ovah 
yere — an'   I   did'n'   tell    nobody  whar  I   was 
gwine. 

24 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  look  like  yo'  had  somefin'  on  yo'  min' — dat 
fust  day  I  seen  yo'  yere! 

LUCY    BELLE 

'Deed  I  did!  (Shakes  her  head.}  Am*  seen  hide 
nor  hair-a  him  since.  (Abruptly,  after  a  moment 
or  two  of  troubled  thought.}  Yo' — yo'  see,  Aim' 
Becky,  ef  dey's  anabody  in  de  woiT  dat  Sam 
hate — it — it  Jeff  Bisbee— 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Sho!    Sho! 

LUCY   BELLE 

Hate  him  like  poison!  (Hesitatingly.}  I — I  ain' 
nevah  toP  him  dat  I  live  wid  Jeff. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  ain7—? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ain'  had  de  nerve!  He  know  dat  I  married  Ed 
Cales — an'  I  toP  him  mos'  ev'ythin'  else — an' 
he  say  w'at  is  pas  is  pas'.  But  yo'  see  it  was 
Jeff  dat  bus'  him  an'  me  up  befo' — an'  he  call 
him  de  hardes'  niggah  in  Wash'nin' — 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Any  way  ob  him  findin'  out — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Only  ef  somebody  tell  him. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Who  know — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Slim,  an'  dem  people  in  Carter  Street,  an'  ole 
Lizzie  Gibbs — 

AUNT    REBECCA 

She  know — ? 

25 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 
Sho'. 

AUNT   REBECCA 

Den*  yo'  bettah  watch  out — kase  ef  she  like 
w'at  yo'  tell  me  she  am'  gwine  ter  keep  it  to 
herse'f. 

LUCY   BELLE 

I  reckon  she  ain' — an*  dat's  w'at  got  me  so  wor 
ried.  Yo  see,  she  yere  Sam  talk  so  much  'bout 
me  dat  it  make  her  crazy  jealous.  Wen  he 
gwine  'way  ter  Atlanta,  she  figure  dat  ef  he  come 
back  he  mos'  likely  come  ter  me  fust.  Leas'- 
ways  dat  w'at  I  think  she  figure.  So  she  move 
ovah  dere  ter  Carter  Street,  an'  take  a  house 
near  me,  wid  de  idea  dat  maybe  she  kin  bus'  me 
an*  Sam  up — ef  he  come  back.  I  was  married 
ter  Ed  Cales  den — but  aftah  while  I  takes  up 
wid  Jeff — like  I  done  tol'  yo' — an'  all  de  time 
she's  watchin'  me  like  a  hawk  widout  me 
knowin'  it — . 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Tryin'  ter  git  somefin'  on  yo' — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sho' !  An'  now — now  dat  she  found  out  whar  I 
live — an'  dat  he's  back — she's  comin'  at  me 
agin — ! 

AUNT   REBECCA 

Put  de  />o-lice  on  her! 

LUCY   BELLE 

Den  she  boun'  ter  tell  Sam — an'  lie  an'  black 
guard  on  me  wuss  den  evah — !    Don'  yo'  see — ? 
(Twining  and  intertwining  her  fingers  and  staring 
26 


GOAT  ALLEY 


into  space  with  a  distraught  expression.)  I  don' 
know  w'at  ter  do! 

(The  children  suddenly  give  vent  to  shouts  and  can 
be  heard  romping  wildly  in  the  room,  of  Left.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (rising) 

Listen  ter  dem  chillen — !  (Moving  toward,,  Left.) 
'Scuse  me  while  I  puts  dem  ter  bed. 

(Aunt  Rebecca  sits  in  a  brown  study.) 
AUNT  REBECCA  (as  Lucy  Belle  nears  the  door,  Left) 

Lucy  Belle—! 
LUCY  BELLE  (pausing) 
Yas. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Who  de  fader  ob  Fanny  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ed  Cales.    (Hesitatingly)    Is-Israel  is — is  Jeff's. 

(Aunt  Rebecca  grunts  and  nods.  Lucy  Belle  goes 
out,  Left.  Aunt  Rebecca  sits  pondering  for  several 
moments  and  then  begins  to  chant.) . 

AUNT  REBECCA  (chanting) 

Um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um 
— a!  Trouble  in  mah  soul!  Um — a — um — a — 
um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um 
a!  Trouble  in  mah  soul!  Um — a — um — a — um 
—  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  — 
a!  Trouble  in  mah  soul !  Um — a — um — a — um 
— a — um — a — um — a — um — a ! 

(A  knock  sounds  on  the  door,  Back.    Aunt  Re 
becca  glances  toward  the  door  and  gives  an  an 
noyed  grunt.     The  knock  sounds  again.     Aunt 
27 


GOAT  ALLEY 


Rebecca  gets  up,  grumbling  to  herself y  goes  to  the 
door  and  opens  it.  Lizzie  Gibbs  steps  in.  She  is 
a  large  >  voluptuous ',  mulatto  woman.  She  has 
straight  hair,  high  cheek  bones,  and  large  coarse 
features.  Her  manner  is  over-bearing  and  inso 
lent^ 

LIZZIE 
H'yo'—  ? 

AUNT  REBECCA  (surveying  her  with  an  air  of  frank 

suspicion  and  disapproval) 

Wat  yo'  wan' — ? 
LIZZIE   (swaggering  down  toward  Center  with  her 

hands  on  her  hips) 

Sam  Reed  live  yere,  don*  he — ? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

None  ob  yo'  bus'ness  weder  he  do  or  weder  he 

don'—! 
LIZZIE  (savagely) 

Go  'long,  yo'  ole  black  wench!    Don'  yo'  give 

me  no  back  talk!    (glaring  at  her  malevolently^) 

Don'  yo  'spose  I  knows  he  live  yere — !    Is  he 

home? 
AUNT  REBECCA  (sullenly) 

Don'  know. 
LIZZIE 

Whar  is  he—? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Don'  know. 

LIZZIE 

Yo'  don'  know  nuffin',  d'yo' — ? 
28 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(Aunt  Rebecca  stands  glaring  fiercely  at  Lizzie. 
Lucy  Belle  can  be  heard  in  the  next  room  speaking 
to  the  children?) 

LIZZIE 

Lucy  Belle's  yere,  airf  she — ? 
AUNT  REBECCA  (shortly) 

I  reckon  so. 
LIZZIE 

Tell  her  I  wan*  ter  see  her. 

(Aunt  Rebecca  hesitates  for  a  moment \  then 
shuffles  over  toward  the  door  on  the  left^  and  goes 
out.  Lizzie  swaggers  about  the  room,  examining 
various  objects  with  an  expression  of  sardonic 
contempt.  Presently  Lucy  Belle  enters,,  Left— 
falteringly.) 

LIZZIE  (pausing)  hunching  herself  down  on  one  hip^ 
and  gazing  at  Lucy  Belle  with  an  expression  of 
sneering  venom) 
To  Luce! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat  yo'  wan* — ? 

LIZZIE  (with  an  explosive -,  sardonic  laugh) 
Listen  ter  yo' — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I — I  done  tol'  yo'  dat  I  don'  know  whar  Sam  is ! 
LIZZIE  (harshly) 

Look  yere,  gal,  d'yo'  think  yo'  puttin'  somefin' 
ovah  on  me  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dat's  de  Gawd's  truf — I'm  tellin'  yo'. 
LIZZIE 

Tryin'  ter  make  out  he  ain'  nevah  yere — ! 
29 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

He  am'—!    Hones'— 

LIZZIE 

Yo'  lie — !    Yo'  knows  whar  he  is — an'  w'en  he 
come  home  as  well  as  yo'  standin'  dere — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  am'  seen  him  in  Gawd  knows  w'en — ! 
LIZZIE 

People  in  de  neighborhood  tell  me  dey  see  him 
yere  ev'y  few  days — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dey  crazy — !      Shootin'  off  dey  moufs  'bout 
somefin'  dey  don'  know  nuffin'  'bout — ! 
LIZZIE 

Does  yo'  think  yo'  gwine  ter  salt  him  away — 
an'  nevah  let  nobody  lay  eyes  on  him  agin  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat  'ud  I  be  doin'  anathin'  like  dat  fo'— ? 
LIZZIE  (mockingly) 

Yas — w'at  would  yo'  be  doin'  anathin'  like  dat 
fo'— ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Nevah  git  away  wid  it — ef  I  did! 
LIZZIE 

An'  yo'  ain'  gwine  git  away  wid  nuffin'  like  dis 
— neder ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  don'  know  w'at  yo'  talkin'  'bout — ! 
LIZZIE 
I'se  knowed  Sam  as  long  as  yo'  is. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Who  say  yo'  ain' — ? 

30 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LIZZIE 

Yo'  stan'  dere  an'  act  like  somebody  was  gwine 
ter  steal  him — right  from  under  yo'  nose — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  don'  know  w'at  yo'  talkin'  'bout — ! 
LIZZIE  (mockingly) 

No — yo'  don'  know  nuffin' — !  To  yere  yo'  talk, 
yo'd  think  yo'  owned  Sam — got  him  chain  up 
like  a  dawg — !  Mali  soul — !  (Vehemently.} 
Listen  ter  me,  gal — he's  an'  ole  frien'-a  mine — 
an'  I  wants  ter  see  him — 'bout  some  bus'ness — 
an'  ef  yo'  know  w'ats  good  fo'  yo' — yo'  bettah 
quit  dis  lyin'  an'  beatin'  'roun'  de  bush — an'- 

(Footsteps  and  whistling  are  heard  of  stage,  Back. 
Lizzie  breaks  off  abruptly  and  both  stand  listening. 
A  moment  later  the  door.  Back,  opens  and  Slim 
Dorsey  enters.  He  is  a  tall,  slender,  light-colored 
Negro  of  about  twenty-four.  He  wears  a  cap  pulled 
around  so  that  the  visor  slants  over  one  ear,  and  an 
old  ragged  suit  of  clothes.  He  glares  at  Lizzie  and 
nods.) 

SLIM  (as  he  slouches  toward  Left  Center) 
'Lo  Luce. 

LIZZIE  (as  she  sidles  toward  the  door.  Back — to  Lucy 
Belle) 

Yo'  yered  w'at  I  said — !  Dat  goes  bof  ways— 
an'  all  'roun'  de  squah.  (With  a  hand  on  the 
doorknob).  Jes'  remembah  dat  I'se  knowed  yo'  a 
good  while,  too.  (With  drawling,  veiled  menace.) 
Is — is  yo'  evah  tol'  Sam  how  much  yo'  love 
JeffBisbee— ? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(Lucy  Belle  s  body  becomes  rigid,  she  clenches 
her  hands,  and  speaks  in  a  choking  voiced) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'— yo'  shet  up—! 
LIZZIE  (with  a  bellowing,  sardonic  laugh) 
Ha!    Ha!    Why  don'  yo'  tell  him  someday^—? 

(She  goes  out,  Back.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (violently) 

Damn  her!    I'se  gwine  ter  break  ev'y  bone  in 

her  body — ef  she  keep  aftah  me! 
SLIM 

Wat's  de  mattah — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

She — she  de  hardes'  ole  gal  in  Wash'nin — 

SLIM 

Jes'  fin'  dat  out—? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Alias   gwine   'roun'   makin'   trouble   fo'   some 
body — ! 

SLIM 

Wat  she  comin'  at  yo'  'bout — ? 
LUCY  BELLE    (slowly  gets  control  of  herself — and 
ponders  for  a  moment) 
Oh— oh,  nuffin'— ! 

SLIM 

Aftah  Sam — ain'  she — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

She  think  she  is — ! 
SLIM 

Bettah  watch  her — ! 

32 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Don'  yo'  worry — I  is!  (She  goes  to  the  window, 
Left  Back,  and  -peers  out,  then  turns  and  comes 
slowly  down  to  Center?) 

SLIM 

How  is  yo' — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  don'  know — not  so  good  dis  week — ! 
SLIM 
Whar  Sam—? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Baltimo'— !     Wat  d'vo'  know—? 

SLIM 

A  lot.  (He  takes  a  bag  of  tobacco  and  a  package 
of  papers  from  his  pocket  and  proceeds  leisureh 
to  roll  a  cigarette.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat—? 
SLIM  (as  he  painstakingly  rolls  the  cigarette) 

Seen  Jeff  dis  mawnin' — . 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  gasp) 

Jeff—!    JeffBisbee— ! 
SLIM  (with  a  nonchalant  nod) 

Sho'  nuff— ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (clutching  his  arm) 

Whar—? 

SLIM 

Bennings — . 

LUCY    BELLE 

De  race  track — . 
SLIM 
Yas. 

33 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Did  he  see  yo' — ? 
SLIM 

Sho'  he  seen  me — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Say  anathin' — ? 
SLIM  (nodding) 

Come  up  an'  grab  me. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gawd  sakes — ! 
SLIM 
Wan*  ter  know  right  off  whar  yo'  is. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  did'n'  tell  him—? 

SLIM 

Wat  de  hell  yo'  take  me  fo'? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat  did  yo'  do? 

SLIM 

Tol'  him  I  did'n'  know  nuffin'  'bout  yo'. 
LUCY  BELLE  (gratefully) 
Yo'  did,  Slim— yo'  did—? 

SLIM 

Wat  yo'  think  I  is — some  kin'-a  fool  dat  has 
ter  be  tol'  w'at  ter  say? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no,  Slim.    But  I  thought  maybe  yo'  might-a 
been  scar't — an'  say  somefin'  fo'  yo'  think. 
SLIM  (with  a  sneer) 
Take  somebody  mo'  den  him  ter  scare  me. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat  did  he  do? 

34 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SLIM 

Say  he  gwine  ter  fin'  yo' — he  don'  care  how  long 

it  takes. 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  cry  of  anguish  and  indignation) 

He  bettah  lay  off  me — ! 
SLIM 

Say  he  gwine  ter  bus'  hell  out-a  yo'  ef  yo'  don' 

come  back  ter  him. 

LUCY    BELLE 

He  ain'  gwine  ter  do  nuffin' — ! 
SLIM 

Picks  up  a  fence  rail  an'  comes  at  me — kase  I 
would'n'  tell  him  whar  yo'  is — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh,mahGawd!    Hit  yo'—  ? 
SLIM  (with  contempt) 

Been  in  de  undertaker's  now  ef  he  had. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Did  yo'  bus'  him — ? 
SLIM 

I  picks  up  a  brick  an'  dares  him  ter  come  at  me. 
Mink  Hall  an'  some  of  mah  oder  buddies  comes 
'long  right  den  an'  he  beats  it.  (With  a  laugh.) 
Mink  makes  a  grab  fo'  him  an'  he  jumps  th'u' 
a  stable  window. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ain'  seen  or  heard-a  him  fo'  so  long — I  been 
hopin'  dat  he  gone  away  fo'  good. 
SLIM 

Been  follerin'  de  races — norf  an'  souf — fo'  de 
las'  yeah — so  he  say — an'  jes'  got  in  town  yister- 
day. 

35 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

I  knows  he  ain'  been  'roun'  Wash'nin'.  (Twin 
ing  and  intertwining  her  finger 's,  and  her  gaze 
roving  abstractedly  about.)  I  don'  care.  He  am' 
gwine  ter  do  nuffin'.  Me  an'  Sam'll  be  livin'  in 
Baltimo'  soon — maybe  dis  time  nex'  monf — 
SLIM 
Watch  yo'se'f— . 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  sho'  is  gwine  ter! 

SLIM 

Don'  go  travelin'  roun'  at  night  by  yo'se'f. 

LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head) 

Don'  yo'  worry — I  ain'  gwine  ter  take  no 
chances.  (A  sudden  look  of  apprehension  coming 
into  her  face.)  He  gwine  ter  beat  it  right  ovah 
ter  Carter  Street— 

SLIM 
Nobody  ovah  dere  know  whar  yo'  livin'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Nobody — nobody  'cept —     (She  breaks  of  and 
stares  fixedly  before  her.} 
SLIM 
Who—? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Lizzie  Gibbs. 

(Aunt  Rebecca  enters^  Left,  and  closes  the  door 
carefully  after  her} 

AUNT  REBECCA  (discovering  Slim) 

H'yo',  Slim. 
SLIM  (shortly) 

'Lo  Aim'  Becky. 

36 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

How  is  yo'  ? 

SLIM 

Fine  an'  dandy. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (to  Lucy  Belle) 

Done  put  dem  chillen  ter  bed  fo'  yo\ 
LUCY  BELLE  (gratefully,  as  she  goes  to  her) 

Thank    yo',    Aun'    Becky, — sartainly    mighty 

good-a  yo'. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Dat's  all  right.    Israel  'sleep  already— 

LUCY    BELLE 

Bof  so  tired  dey  could'n'  hardly  stan'  up. 
(Aunt  Rebecca  moves  toward  the  door^  Back.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  ain'  gwine — ? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Mus',  chile.    Jes'  drap  in  on  mah  way  ter  de 
sto'.    Oughter  been  on  mah  way  long  fo'  dis. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wen  I  see  yo'  agin? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

May  drap  in  later  on  dis  evenin'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Do,  honey,  please — ! 

AUNT  REBECCA  (in  a  low  voice — as  they  pause  at  the 
door) 
Did'n'  put  nuffin'  ovah  on  yo',  did  she — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  indeedy!    An'  she  ain'  gwine  ter! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Dat's  talkin'!     See  yo'  some  mo'. 

37 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Yas,  yas.    Goodbye. 
SLIM 

See  yo'  some  mo'3  Aim'  Becky. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Goodbye.    (She  goes  outy  Back.) 

(Lucy  Belle  closes  the  door  and  returns ,  slowly  to 
Center.  Slim  has  dropped  into  a  chairy  Right 
Center,  and  sits  nonchalantly  puffing  away  at  his 
cigarette.) 

SLIM  (casually) 
Luce — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas—? 

SLIM 

Fse  broke. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dat  am'  doin'  me  no  good. 

SLIM 

I  ain'  had  nuffin'  ter  eat  since  dis  mawnin'. 
LUCY  BELLE  (irritably) 
I  kain't  he'p  dat. 

SLIM 

Len'  me  a  couple-a  dollahs. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  ain'  got  no  money  ter  len'  ter  yo*. 
SLIM 
Yas,  yo'  is—! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Git  out  an*  git  yo'se'f  a  job. 

SLIM 

I  is  got  a  job. 

38 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (incredulously) 
Whar— ? 

SLIM 

At  de  race  track. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat  doin'—  ? 

SLIM 

Feedin'  hosses  an'  rubbin'  'em  down. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Den  w'at  yo'  come  'roun'  yere  askin'  me  fo' 
money — ? 
SLIM 

I  only  had  it  free  days — an'  dey  don'  pay  till 
Saturday. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  give  yo'  a  couple-a  dollahs  las'  Monday. 
SLIM 
Yo'  'spec'  dat  ter  las'  me  a  week? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  keeps  givin'  yo'  money  an'  givin'  yo'  money 
an'  yo'  ain'  nevah  pay  me  back  a  nickel. 
SLIM 

I  been  playin'  in  hard  luck. 

LUCY    BELLE 

So  is  I. 

SLIM  (rising) 
Yo'  got  money. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Don'  make  no  diff'rence  weder  I  is  or  weder 
I  ain'—. 

SLIM 

Ain'  I  jes'  tol'  yo'  'bout  Jeff  Bisbee—  ? 
39 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

No  mo'  den  yo'  had  a  right  ter  do! 
SLIM 
I  did'n'  haf  ter  boder  'bout  comin'  in  yere. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  be  de  meanes'  niggah  in  Wash'nin'  ef  yo' 
hadV! 

SLIM 

Go  on — he'p  me  out  dis  time. 

LUCY   BELLE 

I  tol'  yo'  Monday  dat  I  ain'  gwine  ter  give  yo' 

no  mo'  money! 
SLIM  (hotly) 

De  nex'  time  I  keep  mah  mouf  shet! 
LUCY  BELLE  (angrily) 

Keep  it  shet! 

SLIM 

Yo'  damn  right  I  will! 

LUCY    BELLE 

An'  keep  yo'  face  out-a  dis  house!    (Harshly -,  as 

she  surveys  him  with  a  glared)     Yo'  ain'  nevah 

done  nuffin'  fo'  me — nuffin'  at  all ! 
SLIM 

Yo'  lie—!    Ef  it  had'n'  been  fo'  me  yo'  been 

cleaned  up  a  dozen  times. 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  derisive  laugh) 

Listen  ter  yo' ! 
SLIM 

Wat  'bout  dat  time  yo's  sick — ? 

LUCY   BELLE 

Yo'  wuk  fo'  a  week — an'  buy  de  stuff  we  eat. 
Nevah  give  me  a  cent! 
40 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SLIM 

Yo'  died  ef  it  had'n'  been  fo'  me! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Been  sick  a  dozen  times  since  den  an'  yo'  ain' 
raised  a  han'  ter  he'p  me!  (Harshly.)  Yo'  ain' 
no  good.  Slim — an'  yo'  ain'  nevah  gwine  ter  be 
no  good — 'less  yo'  change  mighty  quick.  Yo' 
nevah  keeps  a  job  ovah  a  week.  All  yo'  is  good 
fo'  is  ter  guzzle  gin,  shoot  crap  an'  chase  gals— 
SLIM 

Go   on    blackguardin'   me — ef  yo'   lookin'    fo' 
trouble ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I'se  tellin'  de  truf — an*  yo'  knows  I  is! 
SLIM  (loudly) 

I  toF  yo'  I  ain'  had  nuffin'  ter  eat  since  dis 
mawnin'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I'll  go  down  ter  de  sto'  an'  git  some  stuff. 
SLIM 

I  ain'  got  time  ter  hang  'roun'  yere  while  yo' 
cooks  it. 

LUCY    BELLE 

All  yo'  wan's  dat  two  dollahs  fo'  is  ter  git  in  a 

crap  game. 
SLIM  (advancing  toward  her  menacingly) 

Gimme  some  money! 
LUCY  BELLE  (defiantly) 

Nuffin'  doin'! 

SLIM 

Gimme  it!     Yo'  yere — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  give  yo'  nuffin'! 

41 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SLIM  (grabbing  her  by  the  wrist) 

Come  on !    Gimme  two  dollahs ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (fiercely) 

No,  no — !    Slim — le'  go!    Wat's  de  mattah  wid 

yo'!    Le'go! 

SLIM 

Gimme  it,  or  I'll  twis'  yo'  damn  arm  off!    (He 

slowly  twists  her  wrist.) 
LUCY  BELLE  (crying  out  in  pain  and  fright) 

'Oh,  mahGawd!    Slim!    Slim!    Stop—!    Le'go! 

Don'— I'll  kill  yo'  fo'  dis! 
SLIM  (between  his  teeth) 

Git  it!    Git  it! 

LUCY   BELLE 

Slim!    Fo'  Gawd's  sake!    Oh,  mah  soul — don' 

—don' —   (Writhing  with  torture,  she  sinks  to  her 

knees.) 
SLIM 

Yo'  wan*  me  ter  twis'  it  off — ? 
LUCY  BELLE  (choking  with  pain) 

A-all  right— Stop!    All  right,  Slim.    I'll  git  it  fo' 

yo'! 

SLIM 

Will  yo'— ? 

LUCY   BELLE 

Yas,  yas.    Stop — please — !    Lemme  up — lemme 
up — Slim — 

(He  slowly  turns  her  wrist  back  to  normal  and 
relaxing  his  grip  somewhat  allows  her  to  rise. 
She  stands  limp  and  dazed  for  several  moments,  as 
though  endeavoring  to  pull  herself  together.  She 
draws  her  free  hand  slowly  across  her  forehead.) 
42  * 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SLIM  (with  savage  impatience) 
Come  on ! 

(He  tightens  his  hold  somewhat.  She  gives  a  little 
cry  of  pain,  and  her  knees  give.  With  Slim  still 
gripping  her  wrist,  she  moves  unsteadily  to  table, 
Center.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

All  right— all  right,  Slim.    I'll  git  it  fo'  yo'— . 

(He  drops  her  wrist.  She  opens  the  small  drawer 
of  the  table  and  takes  out  an  old  and  worn  leather 
pocket  book.  She  extracts  two  one-dollar  bills, 
hands  them  to  him,  then  deftly  stuffs  the  pocket 
book  down  in  one  of  her  stockings.  Slim  jams  the 
bills  into  his  pocket,  turns  and  moves  swiftly  to  the 
door,  Back,  and  goes  out.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (crying  out  after  him) 
Yo's  a  dirty  dog!    I — I'll  git  yo'  fo'  dat — ! 

(Lucy  Belle  sinks  down  into  a  chair  and  covers 
her  face  with  her  hands.  She  looks  up  once  and 
her  face  presents  the  picture  of  fierce,  tearful  rage. 
Presently  a  knock  sounds  on  the  door,  Back. 
Lucy  Belle  jumps  up  with  a  start.  The  knock 
sounds  again.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (in  faltering  tones) 
Come  in! 

( The  door  opens  and  Chick  Avery  enters.  He  is  a 
weak-faced,  but  passably  good-looking  mulatto,  of 
about  thirty-five.  He  wears  a  suit  of  smart  clothes, 
somewhat  the  worse  for  wear.  His  feet  are  encased 
in  a  pair  of  patent  leather  shoes  which  are  slit  about 
43 


GOAT  ALLEY 


the  toes  to  relieve  the  pressure  on  those  members. 
He  is  partially  bald,  but  what  remains  of  his 
straight,  jet-black  hair  is  shiny  from  the  generous 
use  of  hair  oil,  and  is  carefully  brushed  to  cover 
the  bald  spots  as  much  as  possible.  His  manner 
for  the  most  part,  is  extremely  urbane  andy  by  Jits 
and  start s>  exuberantly  mirthful?) 

CHICK  (doing  a  sort  of  clog  dance  toward  her) 

H'yo',Luce— ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (exclaiming  in  mild  surprise) 

Why— why,  'lo,  Chick—! 

CHICK 

How's  de  baby — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Pretty  good,  I  reckon. 
CHICK 

All  by  yo*  lonesome — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Look  like  it,  don*  it? 
CHICK 
Wat  d'yo'  know—? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Nuffin'  much — !     (He  puts  his  arm  around  her 
and  attempts  to  draw  her  to  him.)     Stop  yo' 
foolin' — !    (She  pulls  away  from  him.) 
CHICK 

AinJ  yo*  got  a  kiss  fo'  me? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I'll  bus*  yo'  in  de  nose,  Chick  A  very! 

CHICK 

Mah  soul,  but  yo7  gittin'  skittish — !    How  much 
dey  cos*  now? 

44 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Mo'  den  yo'  kin  pay. 
CHICK  (with  an  explosive  laugh) 
Sam  got  yo'  gwine,  am'  he? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Good  thin's  come  high. 
CHICK 

Yo'  said  somefin'!     (Sitting  on  the  edge  of  the 
table?)    How  he  makin'  out  in  Baltimo' — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Who—? 

CHICK 

Sam. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh — oh,  he  ain'  makin'  out  so  bad. 

CHICK 

Git  home  often  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Onct  or  twict  a  week — depen's  on  hard  dey's 

wukkin'  him. 
CHICK 

An'  yo'  stick  home  an*  wuks  yo'  haid  off. 
LUCY  BELLE  (shortly) 

I  does  mah  share. 

CHICK 

Nevah  seen  yo'  lately  w'en  yo'  was'n'  played 

out  from  wukkin'  yo'  haid  off. 
LUCY  BELLE  (querulously) 

None-a    yo'     bus'ness     how    hard     I     wuks! 

(Sharply.)    Wat  yo'  doin'  now? 
CHICK 

Barbarin'.    Jes'  git  a  job  on  de  Norfolk  boat. 
45 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

W'atdoin'? 

CHICK 

Same  thin' — barbarin'.  Dey's  got  two  chairs. 
Fse  gwine  ter  run  one-a  dem.  Starts  in  nex' 
week.  Got  a  chanct  ter  make  some  real  money, 
now. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sho'  soun'  like  a  mighty  good  job. 
CHICK  (pointedly) 

Yo'  alias  tied  up  ter  some  niggah  dat  make  yo' 
wuk  like  hell. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Shet  up!  Yo'  don*  know  w'at  yo'  's  talkin' 
'bout.  Ev'body  got  ter  wuk  hard  dese  days  ter 
git  by. 

CHICK  (satirically) 
Is  dey? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ef  dey's  any  good,  dey  is!    Wat  yo'  gittin'  at 
anyway  ? 
CHICK 
I'se  alias  been  yo'  lef  han'ed  budigee — . 

LUCY    BELLE 

'Deed  yo'  ain'  been  nuffin'  but  a  frien'! 

CHICK 

Dat's  w'at  I  means.    (With  a  significant  smile.} 

Ef  I  been  yo'  real  budigee,  I  sho'  nevah  make 

yo'  wuk  like  yo'  is ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (derisively) 

No!    Yo'd  make  me  wuk  like  a  dog. 
CHICK 

Not  on  yo'  life! 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Make  me  git  out  an  hussle  while  yo'  lays  home 
an'  guzzle  gin. 

(They  both  laugh  explosively.     Lucy  Belle  un 
bends  somewhat?) 

CHICK  (surveying  her  critically) 

Yo'  gittin'  ole.  Luce — 
LUCY  BELLE  (sharply) 

So  is  yo' !    Look  at  dat  damned  ole  haid  ob  yo's. 

Noder  yeah  an'  yo'  won'  have  a  hair  lef. 
CHICK  (gives  an  explosive  laughy  and  runs  a  hand 

over  his  head) 

Dat's  no  lie!     (Throwing  back  his  shoulders.) 

De  older  I  gits  de  bettah  I  feels. 

LUCY   BELLE 

So  does  I ! 
CHICK  (pointedly) 

Been  ter  any  dances? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Don'  care  nuffin'  'bout  dancin'  no  mo'. 
CHICK  (with  a  little  exclamation  of  incredulity) 
Uster  be  crazy  'bout  it! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Uster  be  crazy  'bout  a  lot-a  thin's. 
CHICK 

Membah  dat  dance  ob  de  Golden  Eagle  Club 

at  de  ole  Mawnin'  Star? 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  reminiscent  smile) 

Sho'  do—! 

CHICK 

Somebody  th'u*  a  beer  bottle — 
47 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (in  joyous  memory) 
An'  miss  yo'  by  free  inches! 

(They  both  laugh  uproariously.) 

CHICK 

Mah  soul!  Dat  was  some  night!  Git  home 
'bout  seven  o'clock  in  mawnin'. 

LUCY  BELLE  (with  just  a  note  of  wistfulness  in  her 
tones) 
Still  have  dances  up  dere? 

CHICK  (exclaiming) 

Do  dey?  'Bout  ev'y  night.  (In  ardent  admira 
tion.}  Yo's  de  bes'  HI'  dancer  I  evah  knowed. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Go  'long!    (She  drops  down  into  a  chair,  gives  a 
little  sigh  and  stares  abstractedly  into  space.) 
CHICK 

Membah  de  time  we  goes  down  ter  Rivahview 
an'  comin'  home  de  ole  boat  gits  stuck  on  dem 
mud  flats  dere  by  de  Eastern  Branch — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

'Deed  I  does!    (In  ecstatic  memory.)    We  dance 

on  de  deck — in  de  moonlight — 
CHICK  (with  a  rapturous  chuckle) 

Ole  Beverly  Johnson  chase  Mink  Hall  wid  a 

razor — 
LUCY  BELLE  (laughing) 

Mink  jump  ovahboard  an'  swim  ter  shore! 
CHICK  (laughing) 

Great  day!    An'  membah  de  fair  down  at — er — 

lessee — Manassas  ? 
LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

Eat  chicken  an'  duck  an'  co'n  pone  an'  ice 


GOAT  ALLEY 


cream  till  I  neahly  bus' !  Ride  on  de  merry-go- 
roun' — shoot  de  shoots — an'  sing  an'  dance  till 
I  kain't  hardly  stan'  up — !  Den  dey  was 
preachin'  ovah  in  de  grove  at  night — (She  breaks 
off — lost  in  the  romantic  memory  of  it.) 

CHICK 

Bet  yo'  ain'  had  no  times  like  dem  since! 

LUCY  BELLE  (deprecatingly) 
I  was  jes'  a  kid  den. 

CHICK 

Dere's  gwine  ter  be  a  dance  at  de  Mawnin'  Star 
termorrer  night. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  gwine — ? 
CHICK 

Sho' !     Come  on  an'  go  wid  me. 
LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head) 

Nuffin'  doin'. 
CHICK  (earnestly) 

Come  on!     Wat's  dis  settin'  'roun'  de  house 

gittin'  yo' — ?    Jes'  dis  onct  fo'  ole  times'  sake. 
LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head  more  emphatically) 

Nuffin'  doin',  Chick.    No  use  ter  axe  me. 
CHICK  (slides  off  the  table  and  moves  to  her  side) 

Luce — jes'  dis  onct — ! 

LUCY    BELLE   (loudly) 

No—! 

(Pause.  Chick  surveys  her  ruefully.  Lucy  Belle 
glowers  at  him.) 

CHICK  (at  length) 

Den  come  on  ovah  ter  Gerner's  an'  have  a  glass-a 
gin. 

49 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Not  ternight,  Chick. 
CHICK 

Yo'  tired — an'  it  set  yo'  up  great. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Not  ternight. 

CHICK 

Dey  got  a  phonograph  in  de  back  room  an'  we 
kin  have  a  couple-a  HI*  dances.  Ef  yo'  kain't 
go  ter  de  Mawnin'  Star — yo'  kin  leas'  git  yo'se'f 
in  a  HI'  dance  ovah  dere. 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no — ! 

CHICK 

Come  on!  Jes'  foj  ole  times'  sake!  Good  Lawd, 
yo'  got  ter  git  out  an'  have  a  lil'  fun  now  an' 
den.  Yo'  kain't  stick  home  yere  all  de  time! 
(Puts  a  hand  on  her  arm.)  Come  on,  baby — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Nuffin'  doin'— ! 

(A  loud  knock  sounds  on  the  door.  Back.  Lucy 
Bell  jumps  up  and  stands  listening) 

CHICK  (in  a  low  voice) 

Who  dat—  ? 
LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head) 

Don'  know. 

(The  person  outside  kicks  the  door  violently.  An 
expression  of  dire  apprehension  comes  into  Lucy 
Belle's  face.  She  swings  about,  points  at  the  door. 
Left,  and  speaks  in  peremptory  tones) 

5° 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Git  in  dere  a  minute. 

CHICK  (in  low,  guarded  tones  as  he  hurries  toward 
Left) 
Is  it  Sam — ? 

(She  shakes  her  head.  Chick  goes  out,  Left.  Lucy 
Belle,  after  a  moment  or  two  of  deliberation,  ad 
vances  warily  toward  the  door,  Back.  When  al 
most  there  she  halts  again,  as  though  debating 
whether  or  not  to  answer  the  door.  Suddenly  the 
kicking  is  renewed  with  increased  vigor.  Lucy 
Belle  draws  back  shudderingly ,  as  though  to  turn 
and  flee.  Abruptly  the  door  opens  and  Jeff 
Bisbee  lunges  in.  He  slams  the  door  shut  after 
him.  He  is  a  short,  stocky  Negro  of  about  thirty- 
brown  in  color — with  a  short,  thick  neck,  a  bullet 
head  and  a  mean,  leering  manner^) 

LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  gasp  of  terror) 
Jeff—! 

JEFF 

I  knowed  I'd  find  yo' — !    (Swaying  toward  her 
menacingly^)    Wat  yo'  leave  me  fo'  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  know  why — ! 

JEFF 

Sneak  off  like  a  cat — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  was  starvin*  ter  deaf — . 
JEFF 

Like  hell  yo'  was! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  was'n'  wukkin — . 
51 


GOAT  ALLEY 


JEFF 

Yo'  know  why! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  did'n'  want  ter — ! 
JEFF 

I'll  bus*  yo'  in  de  mouf!  (Takes  a  step  toward 
her.)  I  was  havin'  some  hard  luck  den. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dat's  w'at  yo'  alias  say.  It  was  alias  hard 
luck — or  somefin'! 

JEFF  (pulls  back  an  arm  as  though  to  strike  her) 
Yo'  knows  I  was!     Could'n'  git  nuffin' — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  did'n'  ha'f  try. 

JEFF 

Yo'  lie — !  Times  was  hard.  Look  fo'  a  monf — 
an*  could'n'  fin'  nuffin' — !  (As  though  he  were 
on  the  point  of  leaping  upon  her  and  choking  her.) 
Watched  yo'  chanct — did'n'  yo' — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no — ! 

JEFF 

Watched  yo'  chanct — an'  run — !    Did'n'  stop 

ter  figur'  w'at  I'd  done  fo'  yo' — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  cry  of  derision) 

Yo'  nevah  done  nuffin'  fo'  me — ! 
JEFF 

Yo'  be  on  de  streets  ef  it  had'n'  been  fo'  me! 

(Lucy  Belle  sneers  audibly.)    Did'n'  have  no  mo' 

sense  den  a  chicken — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ain'  on  'em  now,  is  I? 

52 


GOAT  ALLEY 


JEFF 

It  ain'  yo'  fault — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (her  tones  gradually  becoming  more  and 

more  tremulous) 

Yo'  crazy — ! 
JEFF 

Watch  till  mah  back  is  tuhned — an'  run  ter 

anoder  niggah. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  dreamin' — ! 

JEFF 

I  got  de  dope  on  yo' — an'  got  it  right — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  think  yo'  have — ! 
JEFF 

Yo'  come  yere  ter  Sam — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no — ! 

JEFF 

Come  yere  ter  dat  damned  ole  loon!  Beat  it 
ter  de  man  dat  git  me  sent  up!  Dat's  de  way 
yo'  pay  me  back,  huh — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  don'  know  w'at  yo'  talkin'  'bout — ! 
JEFF 

Livin'  yere  wid  him — ! 

LUCY"  BELLE 

No,  no — ! 
JEFF  (savagely) 

Don'  yo'  go  lyin'  ter  me — !  I  knows!  Yo' 
kain't  put  nuffin'  ovah  on  me!  (She  starts  to 
back  away  from  him.)  Yo'  yere — ?  (He  grabs 
her  by  the  arm.) 

53 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (pulling  away  from  him) 

Jeff — please — 
JEFF  (menacingly) 

Come  yere — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (getting  around  to  the  other  side  of  the 

table) 

Jeff — please — 
JEFF 

Yo'  gwine  wid  me — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no — ! 

JEFF 

An'  yo'  gwine  damn  quick! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Jeff — fo'  Gawd's  sake — ! 

JEFF 

I'se   gwine   back   ter  Havre  de   Grace  in   de 
mawnin'  an'  yo'  gwine  wid  me — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (defiantly) 
I  ain'  gwine  nowhar  wid  yo' ! 

(Jeff  reaches  in  a  back  pocket,  whips  out  a  knife, 
snaps  open  the  blade,  and  poises  it  in  the  air.) 

JEFF 

Til  cut  yo'  God-damn  heart  out! 

LUCY  BELLE  (terror-stricken  as  he  makes  a  move  to 
come  around  after  her) 

Oh,  mah  Gawd,  Jeff—!  Don'— don'— !  (Puts 
a  hand  to  her  throat,  and  glances  wildly  about, 
struggling  for  self-control.)  Jes'-a  minute — 

JEFF  (savagely) 
Come  on — ! 

54 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Mah  clothes — ! 

JEFF 

Git  'em — git  'em! 

LUCY    BELLE 

An'  de  chillen— ! 

JEFF 

Ter  hell  wid  dem — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Got — got  ter  leave  'em  wid  somebody. 
JEFF  (sardonically) 

Leave  'em  wid  Sam. 

LUCY  BELLE   (as  though  she  hadnt  heard  his  re 
mark) 

Got  ter  leave  'em  wid  somebody  dat  kin  see 

after  'em  right. 
JEFF 

Git  busy  den! 
LUCY  BELLE  (after  a  moment  of  tense,  anguished 

deliberation) 

I — I  reckon  I  could  leave  'em  wid  Aun'  Becky— 
JEFF 

Who  she? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ole  woman — live  down  de  alley  yere. 

JEFF 
Hussle. 

LUCY  BELLE  (after  a  moment  of  hesitancy) 

Dey're  in  yere.  Got  ter  git  'em  ready.  (Moves 
swiftly  toward  the  door,  Left.  Jeff  takes  a  step 
or  two,  as  though  he  were  going  to  follow  her.  She 
pauses  as  she  places  a  hand  on  the  door  knob.) 
Only  take  a  minute. 

55 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(She  opens  the  door  quickly,  slides  out  and  closes 
it.  Something  about  her  manner  and  the  quick 
ness  with  which  she  closes  the  door  rouse  Jeff  s 
suspicions.  He  stands — body  tense — glaring  after 
her.  Absolute  silence  ensues.  The  lock  in  the 
door  clicks.  With  a  cry  of  rage  Jeff  leaps  forward 
and  tries  to  force  the  door  open.) 

JEFF  (ferociously) 

Open  de  do'!  Open  it — or  I'll  knock  yo'  haid 
off!  Open  it!  (Muttering  and  cursing  to  him 
self  he  puts  his  shoulder  against  it  and  presses 
hard,  but  it  fails  to  yield.)  Open  up!  Open  up! 

(Baffled,  at  length  he  turns  away,  springs  to  Left 
Center,  and  grabs  up  a  chair.  Realizing,  how 
ever,  that  it  is  perhaps  not  quite  heavy  enough  for 
his  purpose,  he  slowly  sets  it  down,  stands  with 
his  hands  resting  on  its  back,  and  looks  about 
in  search  of  a  more  formidable  weapon.  Suddenly 
shouts,  the  footsteps  of  people  running,  and  the 
noises  of  panicky  commotion  issue  from  the  alley, 
immediately  off  stage,  Back.  It  proceeds  down  the 
alley,  Left,  and  the  noise  rapidly  lessens  in  volume, 
and  distinctness.  All  at  once  the  door,  Back, 
bursts  open  and  Slim  dashes  in.  He  bangs  the 
door  shut  after  him,  and  stands  wild-eyed  and 
breathing  heavily?) 

JEFF 

Wat's  de  mattah— ? 

SLIM  (with  a  gulp — as  he  recognizes  Jeff) 
Po — po-\\CQ ! 

56 


GOAT  ALLEY 


JEFF   (lowering  his  voice  and  becoming  markedly 
wary  and  tense) 
Po-lice — ?    Who  dey  aftah? 

SLIM 

Raid  Messer's  stable — down  de  alley  yere— 

(Someone  runs  heavily  down  the  alley.  Slim 
springs  back  and  stands  in  a  crouching  attitude. 
Jeff  leaps  over  to  the  table  and  blows  the  light  out.) 

JEFF 

Crap  game — ? 
SLIM 

Yas. 
JEFF 

Git  anabody? 

SLIM 

Don'  know. 

(The  noise  and  clatter  recede  continually ',  of  Left. 
At  length  Slim  advances  cautiously  to  the  door^ 
Back,  opens  it  and  peers  out.  Jeff  goes  over  and 
stands  near  him) 

SLIM 

At  de  oder  end-a  de  alley,  now. 
JEFF 

See  yo'  w'en  yo*  runs? 
SLIM 

Sho' — !     Slew-foot  know  me,  too.     He  one-a 

dem.    Liable  ter  come  back  dis  way  an'  search 

ev'y  house. 

(He  opens  the  door  wider  and  leans  far  out.    A 
pale  light  filters  in  from  Back.     The  silhouetted 
57 


GOAT  ALLEY 


figures  of  the  two  men  can  be  plainly  seen.    Jeff 
joins  Slim  in  the  doorway  and  peers  out.) 

SLIM 
I'se  gwine  ter  beat  it. 

(Slim  darts  off  down  the  alley.  Right.  Jeff  stands 
tensely  deliberating  for  several  moments.  Finally 
he  steps  out,  and  with  a  swift  movement  closes  the 
door  after  him.  Almost  immediately  the  door, 
Left,  opens  and  a  broad  shaft  of  light  falls  across 
the  room  from  the  doorway,  Left,  to  the  wall,  Right 
Back.  Lucy  Belle  enters,  followed  closely  by 
Chick.  They  leave  the  door  open  and  pause,  Right 
Back,  in  the  full  beat  of  the  light.) 

CHICK  (as  they  move  to  Right,  Back) 

Oughter  shot  him  in  his  tracks — !    (Taps  his  hip 

pocket.) 
LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head  violently) 

I  done  toP  yo'  dat  yo'  done  right — stickin'  dere 

an'  keepin'  yo'  mouf  shet. 
CHICK  (with  simulated  bravado) 

Sartainly  like  ter  git  dat  bird. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gawd,  no!    Don'  wan'  no  killin's  'roun'  yere. 

CHICK 

Yo'  bettah  beat  it. 
LUCY  BELLE  (breathing  quickly) 

Ain'  no  place  ter  go — . 
CHICK 

Plenty  ob  'em — !    Hun'erd's — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ain' — am'  got  no  strenf — !  (Draws  a  hand 
across  her  forehead^) 

58 


GOAT  ALLEY 


CHICK 

Buck  up!    Yo'  got  ter  git  out-a  yere — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh — oh.  Gawd!    Somefin'  like  dis  alias  got  ter 
happen. 

(Chick  skips  over  to  the  door,  Back,  opens  it  and 
peers  up  and  down  the  alley.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

See  anabody — ? 
CHICK  (shaking  his  head) 

No.     (He  closes  the  door  and  returns  swiftly  to 
her.)    He  liable  ter  come  back  any  minute. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  reckon  so — ? 

CHICK 

Sho'  as  yo'  bawn! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  kain't  go  runnin'  'roun'  de  streets— 
CHICK 
We  kin  go  ter  some  place  neah. 

LUCY    BELLE 

—Not  feelin'  like  I  does. 
CHICK 

Yo'  am'  gwine  ter  stay  yere  an'  let  him  kill  yo' ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

He  ain'  gwine  ter  kill  me! 
CHICK 
Damn  soon  see  ef  yo'  stick  yere! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sho'  ter  see  us  in  de  street. 
CHICK 

We  got  a  chanct  ter  run  dere. 
59 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

He's  some  runner  hisse'f. 
CHICK 

He  am'  gwine  ter  do  nuffin' outside — wid  de  cops 

aroun'.    (She  deliberates.)    Look  at  yo' !   Trem- 

lin'  like  a  leaf! 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  little  hysterical  sob) 

I  know — I  know — 
CHICK 

Yo'  needs  a  good  swig-a  gin — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Am' — ain'  got  a  bit  in  de  house. 
CHICK 

Come  on  ovah  ter  Gerner's — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Kain't  leave  de  chillen. 

CHICK  (with  a  little  laugh — as  though  recalling  her 
subterfuge  with  Jeff) 
Carry  'em  ovah  ter  Aun'  Becky's.  * 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  know — but  yo'  see — 
CHICK 

Yo'  crazy  ter  stick  yere — 'less  yo'  wan'  me  ter 
hang  'roun'  an'  plug  him  fo'  yo'— 

LUCY    BELLE 

Nuffin'  like  dat— ! 

CHICK 

Den  come  on — !     Good  drink  set  yo'  up  jes' 
right. 

(Lucy  Belle  takes  a  faltering  step  or  two  toward  the 
door.  Left.    Just  then  someone  passes  the  window, 
Left  Back,  and  heavy  footsteps  on  the  pavement 
60 


GOAT  ALLEY 


of  the  alley  can  be  heard.  Lucy  Belle  halts.  She 
turns  and  faces  the  door,  Back.  It  opens  and  Sam 
Reed  enters.  He  is  a  big  powerful  Negro — dark 
brown  in  color — and  about  thirty-five.  He  wears 
an  old,  torn  suit  of  clothes,  carries  an  old  felt 
hat,  and  is  without  a  collar.  His  manner  is 
straight-forward,  well-meaning,  kindly.  His 
movements  and  speech  are  deliberate — except  when 
he  is  angry.) 

SAM  (peering forward  through  the  dim  light  at  them) 

Luce—! 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  cry  of  mingled  joy  and  agitation) 

Sam — ! 
SAM  (closing  the  door  and  moving  slowly  down  to 

Center) 

H'yo'—  ? 
LUCY  BELLE  (leaps  to  his  side  and  grabs  his  arm) 

Sam — Sam-boy!     Jes'  talkin'  wid — wid  Chick 

Avery  yere — yo' — yo'  knows  Chick — 
CHICK  (circumspectly) 

H'yo',  Sam. 

(Sam  glowers  at  Chick  for  a  moment  before  reply 
ing.) 

SAM  (at  length — with  ill  grace) 
H'yo'—! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Light  de  lamp,  Chick.  (To  Sam.)  P<9-lice  raid 
a  crap  game  down  de  alley — an' — an'  we  puts 
out  de  light. 

(Chick  strikes  a  match  and  lights  the  lamp  on  the 
table,  Center.) 

61 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (in  eager  vibrant  tones  of  affection  as 
she  gazes  up  at  him) 
Sam-boy,  I'se  so  glad  ter  see  yo'!    How  is  yo'? 

SAM 

Pretty  good. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Did'n'  hardly  'spec*  yo'  ternight. 

SAM 

Shower  come  up  an'  we  quits  early. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gawd  bless  yo' — !  (Casting  about  for  something 
to  relieve  the  constraint  of  the  situation  somewhat, 
she  spies  his  hat,  grabs  it  and  begins  to  industri 
ously  dust  it  of  with  her  sleeve.)  Mus'-a  been 
playin'  football  wid  dis  ole  hat. 

SAM  (with  a  contemptuous  glance  at  Chick) 
I'se  been  doin'  a  man's  wuk. 

LUCY  BELLE  (with  aforced,  nervous  laugh) 
Been  standin'  on  yo'  haid! 

CHICK  (doing  a  light  clog  dance  toward  the  door, 
Back) 
On  mah  way.  Luce.    See  yo'  some  mo'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat's  yo'  hurry — ? 

CHICK 

Got  some  bus'ness  ter  'tend  ter — ovah  at 
Gerner's.  (Gives  an  explosive  laugh.) 

(Lucy  Belle  makes  a  wry  face,  and  finally  breaks 
into  a  little  nervous  giggle.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Goodbye,  Chick.    See  yo'  some  mo'. 
62 


GOAT  ALLEY 


CHICK  (over  his  shoulder) 
See  yo'  some  mo',  Sam. 

(Sam  nods  glumly  and  grunts.  Chick  goes  out, 
Back.) 

SAM  (sharply) 
Wat  he  doin'  'roun'  yere — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Jes' — jes'  drap  in  ter  say  "howdy". 

SAM 

Don*  wan'  nobody  like  him  hangin'  'roun'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

He — he's  an  ole  frien'-a  mine. 
SAM  (nodding) 
Damn  pool  room  spoaht! 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no,  Sam-boy!     He's  a  barber — an'  makes 
good  money.    Wukkin'  all  de  time. 
SAM 
Nevah  seen  a  barber  dat  was  any  good. 

LUCY    BELLE 

He  ain'  so  bad.  An'  he  don'  come  'roun'  yere — 
oh,  only  onct  in  a  long  time.  (Glancing  toward 
the  door,  Left.)  We  keep  on  talkin'  like  dis,  dem 
chillen  wake  up  an'  make  a  fuss. 

(She  hurries  over.  Left,  and  closes  the  door.    Sam 
takes  his  pipe  from  his  coat  pocket, fumbles  around 
in  the  other  outside  coat  pocket,  finds  his  bag  of 
tobacco,  pulls  it  out  and  begins  painstakingly  to 
fill  the  pipe.    Meanwhile  he  follows  Lucy  Belle's 
movements  with  an  intent,  questioning  gaze.) 
LUCY  BELLE  (coming  back  to  him) 
Honey-baby,  been  crazy  ter  see  yo' — ! 
63 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM  (lays  his  pipe  on  the  table  and  takes  her  in  his 
arms) 
Honey-baby!    (Kisses  her fondly?)    Mahlil'gal! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Seem  ter  me  I  miss  yo'  mo'  an'  mo' — ! 

SAM 

Sho'  miff—  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Lonesome  yere  widout  yo'. 
SAM  (playfully) 

Go  'long! 
LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head) 

So  lonesome  some  days  dat  I  don'  know  w'at  ter 

do. 
SAM  (patting  her  cheek) 

Po'  HI'  baby-budigee— ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Hones',  kain't  seem  ter  git  uster  yo'  bein'  away. 

SAM 

Jes'  remembah  dat  I  misses  yo'  as  much  as  yo' 
does  me. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  know,  Sam-boy — I  knows  yo'  does! 
SAM  (sits  in  a  nearby  chair  and  pulls  her  over  on  his 

knee) 

Tain'  gwine  ter  be  dis  way  long. 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  little  cry  of  joy) 

Gee,  w'en  yo'  comes  home  like  dis — an'  s'prise's 

me — 
SAM  (laughing) 

Make  yo'  feel  good — ? 
64 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Oh,  Gawd — !     (Strokes  his  hair  fondly.     Some 
one  passes  down  the  alley.    She  gives  a  start.) 

SAM 

Wat's  de  mattah — ? 

LUCY  BELLE  (making  a  valiant  effort  to  hide  her  agi 
tation) 
Nuffin'— ! 

SAM 

Yo'  mus'  got  de  fidgets. 

LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

Maybe — from  bein'  yere  nights — alone.  (Plain 
tively.}  Oh — oh,  Sam-boy,  I  don'  wan'  yo'  ter 
go  'way  no  mo' ! 

SAM  (with  puzzled  impatience) 
Wat  yo'  talkin'  'bout,  gal? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  don'  wan'  yo'  ter  go  ter  Baltimo'  no  mo' — ! 

SAM 

Honey-baby,  I  got  ter  git  back  on  de  job! 

LUCY   BELLE 

No,  yo'  ain' — . 

SAM 

Wat's  de  mattah  wid  yo'?    Is  yo'  crazy — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dat  ain'  de  onliest  job  in  de  worl' — 
SAM 

Dat  don'  make  no  difference. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  kin  git  somefin'  yere. 
SAM 
Walk  de  streets  agin  like  I  did  las'  monf ? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Thin's  am'  so  slow  now. 

SAM 

Slower  den  dey  evah  was! 

LUCY    BELLE 

So  hard  on  me  bein'  yere  alone — an*  wid  de 
chillen. 
SAM 

Kain't  he'p  it,  honey-baby.     Jes'  got  ter  keep 
gwine  'long  like  we  is — 'till  thin's  break  bettah. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wukkin'  hard—? 

SAM 

Sho'  is! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Diggin'  in  de  streets  ain'  no  kind-a  job  fo'  yo'. 

SAM 

Bettah  den  nuffin'. 
LUCY  BELLE  (feelingly ',  as  she  strokes  his  hair  again) 

I  knows  dat  yo'  doin'  all  yo'  kin — !    Gawd  bless 

yo' — !     But  I  wan's  ter  be  wid  yo',  Sam-boy 

honey-baby — all  de  time. 
SAM  (his  tones  vibrant  with  emotion) 

An'  I  wan's  yo'  wid  me — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Den — le's  go  ter  Baltimo — now — 

SAM 

Wat  yo'  mean — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Next  week. 
SAM 
Next  week — ? 

66 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Er — er  maybe  de  week  aftah.  We  been  figurin' 
on  gwine  dere  all  'long.  But  le's  don*  wait  till 
yo'  git  somefin'  steady.  Yo'  kin*  alias  git 
somefin'. 

SAM  (turning  the  thing  oner  in  his  mind) 
I  don'  know,  honey— 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sho'  yo'  kin!  I  don1  wan'  ter  stay  yere  no 
longer  widout  yo'.  Please — ! 

SAM 

Cos*  a  lot  ter  move. 

LUCY    BELLE 

We  could  sell  off  some  de  furn'ture — an'  maybe 
jesJ  take  rooms — 
SAM  (nodding) 
Yas — perhaps. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sho'  we  could! 

SAM 

Got  ter  fin'  de  rooms  fust. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Dat  gwine  ter  be  easy  'nuff. 

SAM 

Nex'  week,  yo'  say — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Or  de  week  aftah! 

SAM 

Make  it  de  week  aftah. 
LUCY  BELLE  (kissing  him) 
Yo'  will—! 

SAM 

I  reckon  so — ! 

6? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Gawd  bless  yo' — ! 

SAM 

Do — do  mos'  anathin'  dat  gwine  ter  make  yo' 

happy! 
LUCY  BELLE  (embracing  him) 

Honey-baby !    (Draws  back  suddenly  and  searches 

his  face  anxiously.)     Is  yo'  had  any  suppah? 

(He  smiles  and  shakes  his  head.)    Co'se  yo'  am'! 

W'at's  de  mattah  wid  me!    Great  day! 
SAM 

I  ain'  so  hangry. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Hush  yo'  mouf,  an'  lemme  git  down  ter  dat 
sto'.     (She  grabs  up  a  little  shawl  from  a  nearby 
chair  and  throws  it  over  her  head.) 
SAM 
Got  any  money — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

A  HI',  I  reckon. 

(Sam  reaches  in  his  pocket,  pulls  out  a  bill  and 
hands  it  to  her.) 

SAM 
Yere. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Thanks,  honey.  Be  right  back.  Ef  Israel  hol 
lers  go  in  dere  an'  beat  him. 

(Sam  nods.  She  goes  out  hurriedly.  Back.  Sam- 
reaches  over  on  the  table,  picks  up  his  pipe  and 
lights  it.  A  knock  sounds  on  the  door,  Back.) 

SAM 

Come  in! 

68 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(The  door.  Back,  opens  and  Lizzie  Gibbs  enters. 
Sam  twists  about  to  see  who  it  is.) 

LIZZIE  (doing  a  sort  of  languorous  muscle  dance  as 

she  advances) 

H'yo',  Sam? 
SAM  (harshly — glowering  at  her) 

Wat  yo'  wan'  ? 
LIZZIE  (unctuously) 

I  draps  'roun'  dis  way — now  an*  den — ter  see 

ole  frien's. 
SAM  (laying  his  pipe  on  the  table  and  rising) 

Yo'  does,  does  yo'? 
LIZZIE 

Jes'  see  yo'  gittin'  off  a  car  down  on  Four-an'-a 

ha'f  Street.    (She  waits  a  moment  or  two  for  him 

to  speak,  but  he  doesnjt  offer  to  proceed  with  the 

conversation.)    How  is  yo'  ? 
SAM 

All  right. 
LIZZIE 

Long  time  since  I  seen  yo'. 
SAM 

Reckon  it  is. 
LIZZIE 

Am'  seen  yo'  since  yo'  git  back  from  Atlanta. 

SAM 

No — yo'  ain'. 
LIZZIE 

ToP  me  yo'  gwine  down  here  fo'  a  few  weeks — ! 
SAM  (his  manner  gradually  becoming  defiant) 

Long  as  I  'spected  ter  stay. 
69 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LIZZIE 

Yo'  nevah  come  back! 

SAM 

Got  a  good  job. 
LIZZIE 
Las'  a  long  time,  did'n'  it? 

SAM 

Long  as  I  wan's  it! 
LIZZIE 
Nevah  send  me  wud — or  nuffin' — ! 

SAM 

Yo'  knows  why! 
LIZZIE 
I  wish  ter  Gawd  I  did! 

SAM 

Don'  stan*  up  dere — an*  talk  like  a  fool. 
LIZZIE 
Tell  me— tell  me—! 

SAM 

I  ain'  got  no  time  fo'  no  gal  like  yo'. 
LIZZIE 

Sam — w'at  yo'  got  so  agin  me? 

SAM 

Yo'  know! 

LIZZIE 

'Deed  I  don'! 

SAM 

I   ain'   studyin'   'bout  no  gal   dat  fights — an' 
raises  hell — 
LIZZIE 

I  know — sometimes  I  uster — w'en  I  got  mad — 
But  I  nevah  meant  no  harm,  Sam-boy — 
70 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM 

How  'bout  dat  time  ovah  at  yo'  sistah's  ? 
LIZZIE  (penitently) 

I  know,  I  know — (Lays  a  hand  on  his  arm.) 

Fo'give   me,    Sam — !      'Deed    I    did'n'    mean 

nuffin'  den! 
SAM  (drawing  away  from  her) 

I  ain'  boderin'  'bout  yo',  Lizz. 
LIZZIE  (passionately) 

Listen,  son,  ain'  yo'  gwine  ter  fo'give  yo'  ole 

budigee  ? 

SAM 

Go  'long  'bout  yo'  bus'ness — . 
LIZZIE 

I'll  give  yo'  money,  Sam — !    Give  yo'  de  bes' 
eats  in  de  worl' — ! 

SAM 

Shet  up! 

LIZZIE 

Sam — ! 
SAM 

Yo'  an'  me  done  call  it  quits — long  time  ago. 
LIZZIE  (collects  herself  gradually ,  and  draws  back  a 

step  or  two  with  a  sardonic  leer) 

Done  pass  me  up,  huh? 

SAM 

Yo'  yered  me. 
LIZZIE 

Pass  me  up  fo'  dis  lil'  wench. 
SAM  (flaring  up) 

Who  yo'  talkin'  'bout? 

LIZZIE 

Yo'  know—! 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM 

Who—? 

LIZZIE 

Lucy  Belle. 

SAM 

Don*  yo'  go  blackguardin'  her. 
LIZZIE 

I  am'  blackguardin'  nobody. 

SAM 

Den  watch  yo'  step! 
LIZZIE 
Fell  fo'  her!    Oh,  mah  Gawd! 

SAM 

Keep  yo'  tongue  off  her! 
LIZZIE 

I  knows  her  as  well  as  yo'  do!    Bettah — ! 

SAM 

Yo'  don'—! 

LIZZIE 

I   knowed  her  w'en   she  live  ovah  in   Carter 
Street— 

SAM 

Carter  Street — ? 
LIZZIE  (with  a  loud,  rasping  taugh) 

W'en  she  livin'  dere  wid  Jeff  Bisbee — ! 
SAM  (with  a  shout  which  is  a  mixture  of  incredulity 

and  menace) 

Livin'  wid  Jeff  Bisbee — ! 
LIZZIE 

Sho'!     Big  as  life. 

SAM 

Yo'  lie—! 

72 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LIZZIE 

Ain'  she  tol'  yo'?  Oh,  mah  Gawd!  (Gives  a 
raucous,  sardonic  laugh.)  Ask  her — !  She'll 
tell  yo'  all  'bout  it!  I  knowed  yo'd  fall  fo'  a 
wench  like  her! 

(The  door.  Back,  opens  and  Lucy  Belle  enters, 
carrying  several  small  packages.  An  expression 
of  blank  dismay  floods  her  face  upon  discovering 
Lizzie.} 

LIZZIE  (regarding  her  with  an  expression  of  leering 

vengeance) 

H'yo',  Luce—! 
LUCY  BELLE  (in  a  low,  choking  voice) 

'Lo— ! 

(Sam's  eyes  are  first  upon  one,  then  the  other,  in  a 
gaze  of  fierce,  tigerish  scrutiny.) 

LIZZIE  (with  a  wink  and  a  laugh  as  she  slouches 

toward  the  door.  Back) 

Great  lil'  gal,  Sam — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (angrily) 

Yo'— yo'- 

LIZZIE 

Go  on  an'  say  it!     I  dare  yo' — ! 

SAM  (to  Lizzie) 
Shetup! 

LIZZIE  (with  a  leering  smile) 

So  long,  Sam.  See  yo'  some  mo*.  (At  the  door. 
Back.)  Good  beatin'  w'at  she  need! 

(She  goes  out  quickly.  Back.  Lucy  Belle  advances 
to  Center,  and  deposits  her  packages  on  the  table.) 

73 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (studying  Sam's  face  with  eager,  pa 
thetic  anxiety) 
Hardes'  ole  gal  in  Wash'nin' ! 

SAM  (fiercely) 

She  say  yo'  live  wid  Jeff  Bisbee — ! 

LUCY  BELLE  (agitatedly) 
She — she  say  dat — ? 

SAM  (advancing  quickly  to  her  side) 
Did  yo '—  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh,  Sam—I—I— 

SAM 

Yo'  yere  me? 

LUCY    BELLE 

She — she  hate  me  like  sin — ! 

SAM 

Did  yo'—  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Tryin'  ter  git  back  at  me — ! 
SAM  (grabs  her  and  jerks  her  to  his  side) 
Did  yo'  live  wid  him — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh,  Sam-boy,  honey-baby — !     Don* — 

SAM 

Did  yo'—  ? 

LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  sob) 
Oh — oh,  Sam — I — I  ain'  gwine  ter  lie  ter  yo'- 

SAM  (putting  a  hand  on  each  of  her  shoulders,  and 
staring  down  into  her  eyes  with  a  look  of  scarce- 
believing,  burning  intensity) 
Took  up  wid  dat  dirty  skunk — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

He  made  me — ! 

74 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM 

Yo'  lie—! 

LUCY    BELLE 

He  did— he  did!    Say  he  kill  me  ef  I  did'n'— ! 

SAM 

An'  yo'  let  him  git  away  wid  it — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Did'n' — did'n'  know  w'at  ter  do — ! 
SAM  (mockingly) 

Did'n'  know  w'at  ter  do! 

LUCY    BELLE 

He  kep'  aftah  me — an'  kep'  aftah  me — 

SAM 

Wen— w'en? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Aftah  Ed  leaves  me.    Yo's  in  Atlanta. 

SAM 

An'  yo'  stick  yere? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  was  ha'f  sick — an'  did'n'  have  no  money.   He 
—he  had  me  so  scar't  I  was  neah  crazy. 

SAM  (in  anguish) 
Gawd — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ha'f-out-a  mah  haid,  honey — did'n'  know  w'at 
I  was  doin' — 

SAM 

Took  up  wid  de  wust  niggah  in  de  worl' — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I— I  could'n'  help  it— 'deed  I  could'n'! 

SAM 

Swo'  I  nevah  touch  anathin'  or  anabody  dat  he 
lay  a  fingah  on. 

75 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Dat's  de  reason  I  am'  said  nuffin'. 
SAM  (bitterly) 
I  reckon  it  is! 

LUCY   BELLE 

I  knowed  how  yo'  hate  him. 
SAM  (harshly) 
Dey  don'  come  no  wuss. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Treat  me  like  a  dog! 

SAM 

Wat  kin'-a  crazy  fool  is  yo'? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  done  tol'  yo'.  I  was  down  an'  out — an'  scar't 
ter  deaf. 

SAM  (shaking  his  head) 
Took  up  wid  him — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  know,  I  know — 

SAM 

Why  did'n'yo' kill  him? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gawd,  I  wan'ed  ter — ! 

SAM 

Why  did'n'yo'? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ev'y  day  I  prays  dat  yo'  would  come  back. 
An'  I  thinks  'bout  yo'  all  de  time.  Sam-boy, 
honey-baby,  dey  ain'  nevah  been  anabody  but 
yo' — an'  nevah  will  be !  {Stretching  out  her  arms 
to  him.)  W'en  yo'  come  back  it  seem  too  good 
ter  be  true. 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM 

Wish  I  nevah  come  back. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Don'  say  dat,  Sam — don' — ! 

SAM 

Whar  was  yo'  livin' — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Carter  Street. 

SAM 

An*  he  come  ter  yo'  dere? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas. 

SAM 

An'  yo'  let's  him  stay. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Had  ter — .     {Sam  gives  a  shorty  savage  laugh.) 
I — I  only  done  w'at  oder  gals  would-a  done— 
ef  dey  been  in  mah  place.    I  gits  away  de  fust 
good  chanct  I  gits. 
SAM 
How  long  yo'  live  wid  him  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

'Bout  yeah-an'-a-ha'f.  (In  tender,  appealing 
tones.)  Honey-baby,  I  loves 'yo' — an'  I'se  loved 
yo'  all  de  time — right  from  de  fust.  Yo'  knows 
I  is!  Wen  me  an'  yo'  hooks  up  yere — yo'  say 
w'at  is  pas' is  pas'!  Don' yo' membah — ?  (Sam 
nods.)  An'  yo'  say  dat  yo'  ain'  been  no  angel — 
an'  yo'  knows  I  ain' — 
SAM 

Did'n'  know  yo'd  been  tied  up  ter  anabody  like 
Jeff. 

77 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

I  done  tol'  yo'  why  I  did'n'  say  nuffin'.  Oh, 
Sam-boy,  I  am*  nevah  come  back  at  yo'  'bout 
ole  Lizzie  Gibbs.  I  don'  hoi'  dat  agin  yo' — 
even  ef  she  do  blackguard  an'  lie  on  me.  I  ain' 
nevah  said  nuffin'  ter  yo'  'bout  it.  Is  I  ? 

SAM 

No. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Den  don'  hoi'  dis  agin  me.  It  all  happen  fo'  me 
an'  yo'  hook  up  fo'  good.  It's  pas'  an'  gone. 
Fo'give  me.  I  ain'  nevah  gwine  ter  keep 
nuffin'  back  agin.  Fo'give  me,  honey-baby — 
please  fo'give  me? 

SAM  (takes  her  in  his  arms  and  kisses  her  passion 
ately) 
Mah  HI'  baby  budigee! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  does  fo'give  me,  don'  yo*? 

SAM 

Yas,  yas — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  knowed  yo'  would. 

SAM 

Ef  yo'  evah  has  anathin'  ter  do  wid  anoder  nig- 
gah  I'se  gwine  ter  kill  yo'! 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no,  Sam — nevah  agin — !    Don'  yo'  worry — ! 
SAM  (with  passionate  fervor) 

I  loves  yo'  bettah  den  anathin'  in  de  worl' — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (ecstatically) 

Sam-boy  budigee! 

78 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM 

I  wants  ter  go  on  wukkin'  fo'  yo' — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Honey-baby! 
SAM 
An*  w'en  anathin'  like  dis  come  up — 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  know,  I  know— 

SAM 

Ef  it  had  been  anabody  but  Jeff — 

LUCY    BELLE 

But  w'at  is  pas'  is  gwine  ter  be  pas' — ! 
SAM  (repeating) 

W'at  is  pas'  is  gwine  ter  be  pas'.    An'  I'se  gwine 

on  wukkin'   fo'  yo' — an'   tryin'   ter  make  yo' 

happy— 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  sob) 

I  knows  yo'  is,  ole  Sam-boy,  baby! 

SAM 

Yo's  all  I  got  in  de  worl'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo's  all  I  got! 

SAM 

By-an'-by  we  gwine  ter  git  nuff  saved  ter  buy 
a  HP  place  down  neah  Frederick — mah  ole  home. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas,  yas — jes'  as  soon  as  we  kin— 

SAM 

An'  we  gwine  down  dere  an'  raise  garden  truck 
— an'  chickens — an'  live  right — 

LUCY   BELLE 

Yo'  said  somefin'! 

79 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM 

De  chillen'll  have  plenty-a  room  ter  play.    An* 
I  kin  take  a  day  off  now  an'  go  huntin'.    (Wist 
fully.}    Still   got-a   lot-a  possums  down  'roun' 
dere. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Is  dey— ? 

SAM 

Heaps.  (With  a  sigh.)  Yas,  indeedy!  We 
gwine  down  dere — an'  live  right! 

(The  footsteps  of  someone  coming  rapidly  down 
the  alley  arrest  them.  Lucy  Belle  gives  a  start. 
They  both  listen  intently.  The  door,  Back,  sud 
denly  bursts  open  and  Jeff  Bis  bee  dashes  in.  He 
halts  abruptly  upon  discovering  Sam  and  stares 
at  him — his  face  distorted  with  rage.  Sam  breaks 
away  from  Lucy  Belle  and  starts  at  him — menac 
ingly.) 

SAM  (at  the  top  of  his  voice) 
Git  out-a  yere! 

(Lucy  Belle  gives  a  cry  of  anguish  and  fear  and 
draws  back,  toward  Left,  cowering.) 

JEFF  (drawing  a  knife  and  snapping  open  the  blade) 
Who  yo'  talkin'  ter? 

SAM 

Teryo'! 

LUCY  BELLE   (rushes  forward,  as  though  to  place 
herself  between  them) 
Jeff—!    Fo'  Gawd's  sake! 

JEFF 

Thought  I'd  find  yo'  yere! 
80 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM  (thunderously) 
Git  out — ! 

(Jeff  lunges  at  Sam.  Lucy  Belle  gives  a  blood 
curdling  shriek.  The  men  grapple  and  sway 
about  the  room,  grunting  and  cursing^ 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh,  mah  Gawd!    Po-lice!    Po-lice!    Murder! 

(Sam  has  a  firm  grip  on  Jeff's  right  arm.  After 
some  desperate  maneuvering,  Jeff  contrives  to 
swing  it  down  in  an  attempt  to  stab  Sam  in  the 
side.  Sam  diverts  the  thrust  and  the  blade  plunges 
into  Jeffs  side.  Jeff  gives  a  groan,  his  body  be 
comes  limp,  his  knees  sag,  the  muscles  of  his  hand 
relax  and  the  knife  falls  to  the  floor.  Sam  releases 
him  and  he  staggers  toward  the  table,  Center.  He 
makes  a  grab  for  it,  misses  it,  and  falls  to  the  floor. 
He  raises  himself  on  one  elbow,  puts  his  free  hand 
to  his  side,  and  lies  there  groaning  and  rolling  his 
eyes.  Sam  and  Lucy  Belle  stand  gazing  down  at 
him — terror-stricken . ) 

LUCY  BELLE  (in  wild,  hysterical  tones) 
Sam — run!    Git  out — git  out  fo'  yo'  life! 

(At  this  juncture  a  policeman  dashes  in,  Back. 
He  pauses  near  the  door  for  a  second,  sees  Jeff 
tying  on  the  floor,  turns,  discovers  Sam,  springs 
over  and  grabs  him.) 

CURTAIN 


81 


ACT  II 

The  same  as  Act  I — one  year  later.    Early  afternoon. 

A  moment  after  the  rise  of  the  curtain  Lucy  Belle 
enters.  Left,  carrying  her  hat  and  jacket.  She  ad 
vances  to  Center  and  lays  them  on  the  table.  Her 
walk  is  listless  and  her  eyes  are  bright  with  nervous 
fatigue.  She  glances  at  the  alarm  clock  which 
stands  on  top  of  the  cupboard.  Left  Center.  The 
hands  point  to  half -past  twelve.  She  drops  down 
in  a  chair  to  the  left  of  the  table  and  stares  dismally 
before  her.  Presently  she  rests  her  elbows  on  her 
knees,  bends  forward,  covers  her  face  with  her 
hands  and  gives  way  to  a  series  of  dry,  racking 
sobs. 

LUCY  BELLE  (looking  up  eventually  with  a  face  full 
of  woe) 

Sam!  Mah  ole  Sam-boy — come  back  ter  me! 
Ain'  yo'  evah  gwine  ter  come  back?  Honey- 
baby!  Mah  own  honey-baby,  buddy  boy! 

(From  of  stage,  Right,  as  though  proceeding  from 
the  upstairs  room  come  the  weird,  discordant,  thin 
strains  of  a  hymn  played  on  an  old  wheezy  organ, 
and  an  old  Negro  can  be  heard  singing  it  in 
deep,  unsteady  tones.  Lucy  Belle  becomes  momen 
tarily  composed  and  sits  listening  as  though  the 
music  soothed  her.  In  the  course  of  several  mo 
ments  she  rises,  goes  to  the  mirror  which  hangs 
on  the  wall,  Right,  and  stands  before  it  wiping 
her  eyes  and  adjusting  her  hair. 
82 


GOAT  ALLEY 


Presently  the  music  stops,  and  someone  can  be 
heard  coming  slowly  and  heavily  down  the  stairs. 
Right.  Abruptly  the  door,  Right,  opens  and  old 
man  Pocher  enters.  He  is  a  very  old  Negro  with 
white  hair  and  a  face  seamed  with  wrinkles.  His 
back  is  quite  bent  and  he  walks  with  the  aid  of  a 
heavy,  gnarled  stick.  His  manner  is  a  combina 
tion  of  the  patriarchal-Calvinistic,  and  that  of 
the  homely,  old,  ante-bellum  house  servant.  He 
wears  an  old  black  suit  of  clothes,  green  with  age, 
and  carries  an  old  and  very  dusty  felt  hat.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

H'yo',  Mistah  Pocher! 

POCHER 

Howdy,  chile — howdy!     Am'  yo'  wukkin'  ter- 
day? 

LUCY   BELLE 

Sho'!    Jes'  home  fo'  a  HP  while.     Gwine  back 
d'rectly. 

POCHER  (with  stern  resentment) 

Dem  boys  skylarkin'  agin  las'  night — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gawd  sakes — ! 

POCHER 

Put  salt  on  de  do'step — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

De  dirty  devils — ! 
POCHER 

Secon'  time  dis  week!    Wust  neighborhood  Fse 
evah  in! 

83 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

'Deed  I'se  gwine  ter  stay  home  ternight  an'  git 
'em. 
POCHER  (fiercely) 

Git  so  many  evil  sparits  'roun'  dat  dey  choke 
yo'  ter  deaf  in  yo'  sleep. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ef  dey  don'  stop  I'se  gwine  ter  put  de  po-lice  on 
'em.  ' 

POCHER 

Dey  wuk  on  me  night  fo'  las' — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Who? 

POCHER 

Evil  sparits!    Wuk  on  me  till  I  kain't  hardly 
breafe.    Yo'  yere  me  wrestlin'  wid  'em  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gawd,  no! 

POCHER 

Ain'  gwine  ter  put  up  wid  it  no  longer. 

LUCY    BELLE 

'Deed  I  don'  want  yo'  ter,  Mistah  Pocher. 
POCHER  (vehemently) 
Ain'  gwine  ter!    All  dey  is  'bout  it! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Boys  in  dis  alley  ain'  had  no  bringin'  up. 
POCHER  (advancing  to  the  door,,  Back) 

Salt  on  de  do'step  wust  thin'  in  de  worl'  ter 
bring  evil  sparits  'roun'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas,  indeedy!     I  knows  it  is. 
POCHER  (at  the  door.  Back) 

Gwine  down  ter  de  sto'.    Reckon  I  be  right  back. 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

Make  up  yo'  bed  fo'  yo'  d'rectly. 

(Pocher  nods  and  grunts  and  goes  out,  Back, 
closing  the  door  after  him.  Lucy  Belle  stands  for  a 
moment,  pondering,  and  a  thin  smile  -plays  over 
her  face.  At  length  she  turns  and  moves  listlessly 
toward  the  door.  Right.  As  she  reaches  there,  comes 
the  sound  of  boyish  shouts  and  laughter  and  the 
shuffling  of  feet  about  the  door,  Back.  Lucy  Belle 
pauses  and  listens.  She  scowls  darkly,  hurries  to 
the  door,  and  throws  it  open.  This  is  followed  im 
mediately  by  the  clatter  of  scurrying  feet  and 
taunting  shouts  as  those  who  were  about  the  door 
run  rapidly  down  the  alley.} 

LUCY  BELLE  (standing  in  the  doorway  and  shouting 
angrily  after  them) 

I  seen  yo'  Jack  Kramer!  Yo'  too,  Lippy  an' 
Mule!  Keep  away  from  yere  or  I'se  gwine  ter 
wring  yo'  damn  necks!  Yas,  yo's — Lippy!  I 
ain'  scar't  of  none-a  yo'!  Quit  skylarkin'  'roun' 
dis  door!  Sweah  out-a  warran'  fo'  yo',  too! 

(She  stands  glaring  of  Left  at  them.  Slim  sud 
denly  appears  from  Right.) 

SLIM 

H'yo',  Luce! 
LUCY  BELLE   (shortly,  as  she  steps  back  into  the 

room) 

'Lo,  Slim. 
SLIM  (entering,  Back,  and  noting  her  ill-humor) 

Wat's  de  mattah? 

85 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (closing  the  door) 

Oh,  dat  Jack  an'  Lippy  an'  Mule  is  alias  sky- 

larkin'  'roun'  mah  do'. 
SLIM 

Tryin'  ter  git  back  at  yo'  ? 
LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head) 

Makin'  out  ter  plague  ole  man  Pocher. 
SLIM 

Git  somefin*  on  him? 
LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

Gits  wise  dat  he  scar't  ter  deaf  ob  evil  sparits — 

an'  bein'  conjuhed. 

SLIM 

Sho'  nuff! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Lil'  while  aftah  he  rents  dis  room — an'  been 
aftah  him  evah  since.    Puts  salt  on  de  do'step 
an'  ev'thin'  like  dat. 
SLIM 

Bus*  'em  in  de  haid. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Do  wuss*  an  dat  ef  dey  keeps  on. 

SLIM 

Clean  up  fo'  'em!. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  sho'  gwine  ter  ef  dey  don'  lay  off  him!  (In 
tones  of  pondering  indignation  and  protest.}  Dat 
room  is  hard  ter  rent.  Ole  man  Pocher  is  kep' 
it  longer  den  anabody.  (Slim  nods.)  Two  mon's 
dere  could'n'  rent  it  at  all — an'  ole  Jennie 
Wurmser  goes  off  owin*  me  fo'  five  weeks. 
SLIM 

How  long  Pocher  been  yere? 
86 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Free  men's. 

SLIM 

He  sing  too  much. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Am'  boderin'  'bout  dat  so  long  as  I  gits  mah 
money  ev'y  Monday  mawnin'. 
SLIM 
Whar  he  git  his  money? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Son  in  New  York  send  it  ter  him.      I  couldn' 
hardly  git  by  now  widout  somefin'   like   dat 
comin'  in  reg'lar  ev'y  week. 
SLIM 
Wukkin'  now? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sho'  I'se  wukkin! 
SLIM 
Whar? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Fo*  Moy  Wing — up  on  Seventh  Street. 
SLIM 

Chink—?    (Lucy  Belle  nods.)    W'atdoin'? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Washin'  an'  iron'.    W'at  yo'  think? 
SLIM 
Steady? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Free  times  a  week — Monday,  We'nesday,  an* 
Friday. 
SLIM 

Dat  ain'  no  kin'-a  job. 

8? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  go  out  an'  git  me  a  bettah  one. 
SLIM  (with  a  laugh) 
Sho'— ! 

LUCY   BELLE 

An'  git  yo'se'f  one  an'  keep  it. 
SLIM 

Been  in  hospital. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  ain'  dere  now. 

SLIM 

I  git  one  quick  'nuff.    Don'  yo'  worry. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Git  it! 

SLIM 

Dem  Chinks  is  crazy  'bout  Niggahs  an'  white 
people's  hearts. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Go  'long! 

SLIM 

Sho!  Dey  kills  yo',  cuts  out  yo'  heart,  an'  eats 
it.  Ef  yo'  eats  a  heart  nobody  kin  cunjuh  yo' — 
an*  each  one  dat  yo'  eat  give  yo'  a  yeah's  luck. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  crazy!     I  knowed  Moy  Wing  'long  time. 
SLIM 

Kain't  trus'  none  ob  'em. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  ain'  scar't-a  him.    He  ain'  gwine  ter  do  nuffin' 
ter  me.     (Shakes  her  head.)     Onlies'  kin'-a  job 
dat  do  fo'  me  right  now. 
SLIM 
How  yo'  make  dat  out? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Kain't  stay  'way  from  de  chillen  all  de  time. 
(Sighs  and  drops  down  in  a  chair.    Draws  a  hand 
across  her  forehead^]    Gawd — ! 
SLIM 
Wat's  demattah? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I'se  tired.    Wash  dis  mawnin'.    Got  ter  go  back 
dis  aftahnoon  an'  iron. 
SLIM 
Wuk  yo'  ter  deaf. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Be  twict  as  hard  ef  Fse  wukkin'  ev'y  day.  (With 
a  little  wistful  cry.)  Ef — ef  Sam  was  only  yere — 
den — den  I  would'n'  care  how  hard  I  haf  ter 
wuk — or  'bout  nuffin' — (Staring  abstractedly 
into  space.)  Be  a  yeah  de  fust-a  nex'  monf  since 
he  wen'  ter  jail. 

SLIM 

Sho'  miff— ! 

LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head) 
Seem  like  five  yeahs. 

(Pause.  Lucy  Belle  sits  staring  into  space.  Slim 
nonchalantly  rolls  a  cigarette.) 

SLIM 
Wat  become  ob  Jeff? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Fdon'  know.  Dey  nevah  done  nuffin'  ter  him.  He 
was  in  de  hospital  fo'  a  while.    He  lef  town  soon 
as  he  gits  out  an'  I  ain'  nevah  seen  him  since. 
SLIM  (at  lengthy  as  he  lights  the  cigarette) 
How  long  is  Sam  up  fo'  ? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Fo'  yeahs — ! 

SLIM 

Maybe  he  git  out  sooner — fo'  bein'  good.  Kain't 

tell. 
LUCY  BELLE  (jumping  up  with  an  eager  cry  and 

searching  his  face) 

Yo' — yo'  think  so,  Slim? 
SLIM 

Dey  does  sometimes. 

LUCY   BELLE 

How — how  soon  yo'  think  dey  let  him  out? 

SLIM 

Don*  know.    Yo'  nevah  kain  tell. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Maybe  in  anoder  yeah? 
SLIM 
Ef  he  have  any  luck. 

LUCY  BELLE  (clasping  her  hands  tightly  together 
and  raising  her  eyes  heavenward) 
Oh,  Gawd!  Ef  he  only  do — !  I  kin  make  out 
fo'  'noder  yeah  ef  I  keeps  wukkin'  fo'  Moy— 
an'  washin'  extra  yere  at  home  like  I  is — an'  ef  I 
keeps  de  room  rented  right  'long. 

SLIM 
Yo'  ain'  gwine  ter  have  no  trouble. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ef  Pocher  only  keep  dat  room  an'  pay  me  reg'lar. 
(Old  man  Pocher  is  heard  grumbling  and  grunting 
to  himself  immediately  outside  the  door,  off  sfage, 
Back.)  Yere  he  come  now! 

9° 


GOAT  ALLEY 


( The  door,  Back,  opens  and  Pocher  enters,  carry 
ing  a  small  package  under  his  arms.  He  stands 
in  the  doorway  and  points  angrily  with  his  cane 
at  the  doorstep.) 

POCHER 
Look  dere!    Look!    Yo'  see — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat—  ? 

POCHER  (trembling  with  anger  and  J ear) 
Salt  on  de  do'step  agin! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gawd  sakes! 

POCHER 

Tol'  yo'  I  was'n*  gwine  ter  put  up  wid  it  no 
longer ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  did'n'  know  dey  done  it. 
POCHER 
Yo'  business  ter  watch  'em ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  does  try  ter. 

POCHER 

Oughter  put  de  po-\icQ  on  'em  long  'go. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gwine  ter — right  'way.     Ain'  gwine  ter  wait 
'noder  minute. 
POCHER 
Turrible !    Tumble ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  knows,  Mistah  Pocher — but — 

POCHER 

Third  time  in  de  las'  two  days. 
91 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

— but,  yo'  see,  wid  de  chillen  an'  mah  oder 
wuk — 

POCHER 

Kain't  he'p  dat — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Kain't  alias  be  stickin'  mah  haid  out  dat  do*. 
POCHER 

Nevah  seen  nuffin'  like  it. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas,  yas — !  I'se  gwine  ter  sweep  it  right  off. 
(She  goes  to  the  closet  door,  up  Left,  opens  it, 
takes  out  a  broom,  closes  the  door  and  goes  quickly 
to  the  doorway.  Back,  where  she  stands  sweeping 
off  the  doorstep.} 

POCHER 

De  spell  done  wuk. 
LUCY  BELLE  (as  she  sweeps) 
Yo'  reckon  so? 

POCHER 

It  wuk  ef  de  salt  stay  dere  two  secon's. 

LUCY    BELLE 

'Deed,  I'se  sorry,  Mistah  Pocher. 
POCHER 

Nuffin'  kin  stop  'em  rizin'  up  now. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dem  boys  ain'  gwine  ter  git  neah  dis  do'  agin. 
POCHER 

Dey  riz  up  an*  riz  up  on  yo'  till  de  spell  done 
break. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  see,  I  don'  yere  'em  ha'f  de  time — even 
92 


GOAT  ALLEY 


w'en  I'se  home.     Dey  slips  up  on  de  sly  an' 

draps  it  on. 
POCHER 

Yo'  wan*  ter  die? 
LUCY  BELLE  (pausing  in  her  work  and  turning) 

No,  no — Mistah  Pocher. 
POCHER 

Dem  evil  sparits  git  ter  wukkin'  on  yo'  in  yo' 

sleep— 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  know,  I  know — 

POCHER 

Liable  ter  choke  yo'  ter  deaf. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sho'  don'  wan'  nuffin'  like  dat  ter  happen. 

POCHER 

Salt  on  de  do'step  draw  'em  like  syrup  do  flies. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  know,  I  know— 

POCHER  (shuffling  over  to  the  door.  Right) 
Ain'  gwine  ter  put  up  wid  it  no  longer! 

LUCY    BELLE 

I'se  gwine  ter  do  mah  bes'  ter  stop  'em. 
POCHER  (vehemently) 

Ain'  gwine  ter  put  up  wid  it  no  longer!     (He 

goes  out,  Right.) 
LUCY  BELLE  (her  gaze  remaining  ruefully  fixed  on 

the  doory  Right) 

Ain'  datde  limit?    Gawd — ! 
SLIM 

Damn  ole  fool. 

93 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

I  sartainly  gwine  ter  make  trouble  fo'  somebody 
in  dis  alley. 

(She  turns  to  the  doorway  again  and  completes  the 
task  of  sweeping  off  the  steps.  This  done  she 
closes  the  door,  crosses  thoughtfully  to  closet, 
places  the  broom  in  it,  then  comes  down  to  Left 
Center.  Slim  stands,  Right  Center,  puffing  away 
at  his  cigarette?) 

LUCY  BELLE  (abstractedly) 

Dey  gittin'  wuss  lately. 
SLIM 

Done  toP  yo'  w'at  ter  do. 

(Lucy  Belle  gives  a  little  nod  and  stands  lost  in 
thought.  Slim  regards  her  with  a  look  of  sly, 
calculating  appraisal?) 

SLIM  (at  lengtti) 
Luce — • 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas— ? 

SLIM 

He'p  me  out  a  lil' — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

W'at  yo'  mean  ? 

SLIM 

Lemme  eat  yere  fo'  a  few  days. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Eat  yere — ! 
SLIM 

Jes'  till  I  gits  on  mah  feet. 
94 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (tartly  facetious) 

Wat  yo'  standin'  on — yo'  han's? 
SLIM 

Gwine  ter  take  me  a  week  ter  git  goin'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  mean  a  monf. 
SLIM 
Lay  off  me  wid  dat  kin'-a  talk. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Nuffin'  doin'— ! 

SLIM 

Luce — please— 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  yered  w'at  I  say. 
SLIM 
I'se  only  jes'  out-a  de  hospital — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  own  fault  yo'  wen'  dere. 

SLIM 

Yo'  lie—! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Git  in   a  fight  in  Messer's  stable — an'  some 
body  bus'  yo'  ovah  de  haid  wid  a  stick. 
SLIM 

Who  say  I  did? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  yered  all  'bout  it. 

SLIM 

Nevah  raise  a  han' — . 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dat's  wa't  yo'  say. 
SLIM 
Gawd's  truf!    Nevah  done  a  thin'.    Dick  Simp- 

95 


GOAT  ALLEY 


son   an'   Mink  Hall  start   ter  fight — an'   fust 
thin'  I  knows  somebody  bus'  me — 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  am'  carin'  'bout  w'at  happen — all  I  knows — 
SLIM 
Luce — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Done  feed  yo'  all  I'se  gwine  ter! 
SLIM 
Wan'  me  ter  starve? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Git  out  an'  hussle — now.    Yo's  a  lot  bettah  able 
den  I  is. 

SLIM  (harshly  reproachful) 
Gittin'  hard  as  hell,  ain'  yo? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  reckon  I'se  gittin'  wise  in  mah  ole  age. 
SLIM 
Len'  me  a  dollah,  den. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Len'  yo'  nuffin',  Slim. 
SLIM 

Fifty  cents — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (emphatically ,  as  she  shakes  her  head) 

No—! 

SLIM 

Keep  me  gwine  till  termorrer. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Nuffin'  doin'. 

SLIM   (clenching  his  fists  and  coming  toward  her 
menacingly) 
Yo'  bettah  by  a  damn  sight  change  yo'  min'! 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (backing  away) 
Yo'  keep  'way  from  me,  Slim  Dorsey! 

SLIM  (with  a  savage  shout) 
Gimme  a  dollah — ! 

LUCY  BELLE  (stopping  abruptly  and  standing  her 
ground  squarely) 

Die  fo'  I  give  yo'  'noder  cent!  (He  leans  for 
ward  as  though  to  lunge  at  her.  She  steps  back  a 
pace.)  Don'  yo'  dare  lay  a  han'  on  me!  Don' 
yo'  dare!  I'se  gwine  ter  yell  "Po-lice!"  an' 
"Murder!"  ef  yo'  tech  me—! 

(Old  man  Pocher  is  heard  coming  heavily  down 
the  stairs ',  Right.  Both  Slim  and  Lucy  Belle  turn 
and  listen?) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sen'  ole  man  Pocher  out  fo'  he'p. 

(Slim  hesitates  for  a  moment  or  two,  then  turns  and 
slinks  to  the  door.  Back.) 

SLIM  (turning  at  the  door) 

I  git  yo'  fo'  dis! 
LUCY  BELLE  (defiantly) 

Git  me! 

(She  turns  and  stands  listening  as  Pocher  de 
scends  the  stairs.  At  length  the  door,  Right,  opens 
and  the  old  man  enters  carrying  a  very  old  black 
leather  portmanteau — so  old  and  battered  and 
scarred  that  it  looks  as  though  it  were  about  to  fall 
to  pieces.  There  is  fiery  resolve  in  Pocher  s  eyes. 
He  gives  Lucy  Belle  a  sharp  glance  and  makes  di 
rectly  for  the  door,  Back.) 

97 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (hesitatingly) 

H'yo',  Mistah  Pocher— ! 
POCHER  (halting  and  glaring  at  her) 

Wat—? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo' — yo'  gwine  'way? 

POCHER 

Sho'  I'se  gwine  'way. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Visit  yo'  son — ? 
POCHER  (fiercely] 

I'se  gwine  ter  leave  dis  place  fo'  good. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Leave — fo'  good — ! 

POCHER 

Tol'  yo'  I  was'n'  gwine  ter  put  up  wid  dat  non 
sense  no  longer. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh,  but,  Mistah  Pocher — 

POCHER 

Had  er  vision  dat  somebody  gwine  ter  make 
dem  evil  sparits  riz  up  on  me  agin.  Pack  mah 
valise  dis  mawnin'  ter  be  ready. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  am'  gwine  ter  let  it  happen  agin. 
POCHER 

Yo'  say  dat  befo'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gwine  ter  de  station  right  dis  minute  an'  put 
de  po-\ice  on  'em. 
POCHER 

Kin  feel  dem  sparits  wukkin'  on  me  now. 


_GOAT  ALLEY 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  kin  break  de  spell. 
POCHER 

I'se  gwine  ter  break  it  by  gittin'  'way. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Please,  Mistah  Pocher — don'  go  off  like  dis — 
POCHER  (taking  a  step  or  two  toward  the  door) 
Kain't  stan'  it  yere  no  longer. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Gimme  anoder  chanct. 
POCHER  (pausing) 
Warn  yo'  ha'f  er  dozen  times. 

LUCY   BELLE 

I  know — I  know — 
POCHER  (proceeding  toward  the  door) 

Mus'  live  in  peace— an'  de  presence  ob  desparit 
ob  de  Lawd! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Mistah  Pocher—! 

POCHER  (turning  and  speaking  in  fierce  tones  as  he 

reaches  the  door) 

Hush  yo'  talk!    Done  made  up  mah  min'  ter 

leave  dis  place !    Nuffin'  gwine  ter  stop  me ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (putting  herself  together  and  speaking 

in  resigned  tones} 

Ef— ef  yo'  feels  dat  way  'bout  it — I  reckon  dey 

ain'  no  use. 
POCHER 

I  sen'  mah  nephew — Joe  Davis — 'roun'  fo'  mah 
organ. 

LUCY    BELLE 

All  right. 

99 


GOAT  ALLEY 


POCHER 

Reckon  he'll  come  'roun'  termorrer  wid  his 
wagon. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Gwine  ter  pay  me? 
POCHER 
Pay  yo*  fo'  w'at? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo*  been  yere  free  days  dis  week. 

(He  glares  at  her,  gives  a  snort,  drops  the  port 
manteau,  thrusts  a  hand  down  in  his  pocket  and 
brings  out  a  small,  soiled  bag,  tied  at  the  top  with  a 
string.  He  unties  the  string, fumbles  around  in  the 
bag,  finally  pulls  out  a  dirty,  torn  one-dollar  bill.) 

POCHER  (holding  it  out  to  her) 

Yere. 
LUCY  BELLE  (advancing  and  taking  if) 

T-thanks.    Might — mighty  sorry  yo'  gwine  off 

— like  dis. 

(Pocher  gives  an  impatient  grunt  and  mumbles 
something  to  himself.  He  returns  the  bag  to  his 
pocket,  picks  up  his  portmanteau  and  opens  the 
door) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Goodbye. 
POCHER  (shortly) 

Goodbye.  (He  goes  out,  Back,  closing  the  door 
after  him) 

(Lucy  Belle  gives  a  little  despairing  sigh,  then  re 
turns  slowly  to  Center,  where  she  halts  and  stands 
100 


GOAT  ALLEY 


staring — somewhat  abstractedly — down  at  the  bill 
in  her  hand.  Slim  appears  at  the  window,  Left 
Back,  and  peers  in.  At  length  Lucy  Belle  goes  to 
the  cupboard  on  the  Left,  opens  one  of  the  top 
doors,  removes  the  lid  from  a  crockery  jar,  reaches 
down  in  it,  and  takes  out  her  pocket  book.  She 
opens  the  pocket  book,  extracts  three  one  dollar 
bills,  counts  them  carefully,  places  the  one  she  has 
just  received  with  them  and  returns  them  all  to  the 
pocket  book.  Slim?  s  face  disappears  from  the  win 
dow,  Left  Back.  Lucy  Belle  comes  thoughtfully 
back  to  Center  with  the  pocket  book  still  in  her 
hand.  At  this  juncture  Israel  and  Fanny  dash  in, 
Back.) 

ISRAEL 

Mamma!     Mamma! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat  yo'  wan*  now? 

FANNY 

Mamma — ! 
ISRAEL 

Mamma,  I'se  hangry! 

LUCY   BELLE 

Did  I  call  yo'? 

FANNY 

No,  but— 

LUCY    BELLE 

Stay  out  dere  an'  play  till  I  calls  yo'! 

FANNY 

Fse  hangry! 
LUCY  BELLE  (displaying  the  pocket  book) 

Fse  gwine  down  ter  de  mawket  in  jes  a  minute. 
101 


GOAT  ALLEY 


FANNY 

Wen  we  gwine  ter  have  dinnah? 

LUCY  BELLE  (impatiently) 
Jes'  as  soon  as  I  kin  cook  it. 

ISRAEL 

Mamma — ! 

LUCY  BELLE  (angrily) 

Shet  up,  now — bof-a  yo'!  Wan'  me  ter  lock 
yo'  up?  (Israel  begins  to  whimper?)  Yo'  yere 
me?  Go  on  out  dere  an'  play!  (The  children 
hesitate?)  Go  'long!  Wan*  me  ter  beat  yo'? 
(They  both  scamper  to  the  door,,  Back.}  Min' 
yo'  don*  go  out-a  dis  alley ! 

(They  go  out,  Back,  banging  the  door  shut  after 
them.  She  drops  her  pocket  book  on  the  table, 
picks  up  her  coat  and  puts  it  on.  A  light  knock 
sounds  on  the  door,  Back.  She  starts  to  answer 
the  door,  but  halts  abruptly  and  a  look  of  suspicion 
comes  over  her  face.  Her  eyes  light  upon  the 
pocket  book.  She  picks  it  up,  goes  to  the  cupboard, 
Left,  drops  it  in  the  crockery  jar,  puts  the  lid  on, 
closes  the  cupboard  door  and  hurries  to  the  door, 
Back.  Just  as  she  reaches  it,  the  knock  sounds 
again.  She  opens  it.  Chick  Avery  stands  outside.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Chick—! 

CHICK  (making  an  obsequious  bow) 
Dat's  me! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Come  in! 

(He  enters,  carrying  a  suit  case,  which  he  deposits 

1 02 


GOAT  ALLEY 


near  the  door.  He  looks  a  little  more  spruce  than 
in  the  preceding  act  and  carries  himself  with  a 
decidedly  prosperous  air.  Lucy  Belle  closes  the 
door,  and  they  both  come  down  to  Center?) 

CHICK 

De  boat  jes'  git  in. 

LUCY    BELLE 

It  did—? 

CHICK 

Mighty  good  ter  see  yo'  agin. 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  coy  toss  of  her  head) 

Go  'long! 
CHICK 

On  mah  way  ter  de  Gran'  Imperial. 
LUCY  BELLE  (trying  to  place  the  name) 

Gran'  Imperial — ! 
CHICK 

Colored  hotel  ovah  yere  on  M  Street. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh — de  one  Jim  Mumbly  keep! 
CHICK  (nodding) 
Yas. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Uster  be  de  Johnson  House. 
CHICK  (with  a  laugh) 

Yas,  yas.    Change  its  name  ev'y  monf. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Is  yo'  stoppin'  dere,  now? 
CHICK 

Jes'  now  an'  den.    Git  tired  gwine  'way  out  ter 
mah  broder's  in  G'orgetown  ev'y  time  I'se  in 
103 


GOAT  ALLEY 


town.  Min'  ef  I  leave  dis  suit  case  yere  till  I  see 
ef  dey  got  a  room  at  de  hotel  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  indeedy! 
CHICK 

Ef  dey  is,  I'll  sen'  a  boy  ovah  fo'  it — ef  dey 
ain',  I'll  drap  back  an'  git  it  an'  go  on  out  ter 
G'orgetown, — 'less  yo'  wan'  ter  put  me  up  yere. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat  yo'  talkin'  'bout? 
CHICK  (sitting  on  the  edge  of  the  table) 

Jes'  met  ole  man  Pocher  gwine  down  de  line. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  did—! 

CHICK 

Say  he  jes'  give  up  his  room. 
LUCY  BELLE  (removing  her  jacket  and  throwing  it 

over  the  back  of  a  chair) 

I  reckon  he  tol'  yo'  de  truf. 
CHICK 

Wat's  de  mattah? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Boys  in  de  alley  keep  aftah  him  all  de  time. 
Pesters  him  ter  deaf.     Puts  salt  on  de  do'step 
an'  ev'ythin'  like  dat. 
CHICK 
Go  'long! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Done  ev'ythin'  dey  could  ter  git  his  goat. 
CHICK 

Hard  bunch,  ain'  dey? 
104 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

'Deed  dey  is — an'  I  am'  had  no  time  ter  lay  fo' 
'em. 
CHICK 

Mighty  sorry  yo'  havin'  dis  trouble.  Ef  dey's 
any  way  I  kin  he'p  yo'  clean  up  fo'  'em,  lemme 
know. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ain'  nuffin'  yo'  kin  do.    I  oughter  put  de  po-lice 

on  'em — but,  yo'  knows,  dat  gwine  ter  make  all 

kin '-a  trouble  fo'  me.    (He  nods.)    Dere  people 

'ud  blackguard  me — an'  raise  hell. 
CHICK 

Why  don'  yo'  move? 
LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head) 

Kain't  right  now. 
CHICK 

Gwine  ter  keep  on  rentin'  it? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat—? 

CHICK 

De  room. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sho'— ! 

CHICK 

Got  anabody  fo'  it? 
LUCY  BELLE  (irritated  by  the  assumption  she  should 

act  so  quickly) 

Wat  yo'  spec'?    He  only  jes'  give  it  up. 
CHICK 

Lemme  have  it. 
LUCY  BELLE  (measuring  him  with  a  withering  glare) 

Fo'  Gawd  sakes — !    Listen  ter  yo' — ! 
105 


GOAT  ALLEY 


CHICK 

Go  ahaid! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Is  yo'  crazy — ? 

CHICK 

I  only  be  in  it  free  days  a  week — an'  I'll  pay  yo' 
twict  as  much  as  Pocher. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Don'  care  e.f  yo'  pays  me  five  times  as  much. 
CHICK 

Wat's  de  mattah  wid  yo'?    I  am'  got  smallpox 
or  nuffin'  like  dat — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  knows  I  ain'  gwine  ter  let  yo'  have  dat  room. 
CHICK 

Don'  like  mah  looks — huh? 

LUCY    BELLE   (with  a  laUgJl) 

Sho' — dat's  it.    Waitin'  fo'  a  bettah  lookin'  man 

ter  come  'long. 
CHICK  (with  an  explosive  laugh) 

Nevah  did  have  no  luck  wid  de  ladies. 
LUCY  BELLE  (in  the  same  spirit) 

Ain'  gwine  ter  till  yo'  git  anoder  face. 

(Chick  nods  and  chuckles?) 

CHICK  (at  length,  seriously) 
Luce — listen  ter  me — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Chick  A  very,  lay  off  wid  dat  nonsense — 
CHICK 

I  gits  so  lonesome — 
LUCY  BELLE  (shaking  her  head  and  scowling) 

Nuffin'  doin'. 

1 06 


GOAT  ALLEY 


CHICK 

Jes'  till  I  fin's  a  room  'roun'  dis  neighborhood 

dat  suit  me. 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  mock  ferocity) 

Yo'  wan*  me  ter  bus'  yo'  in  de  eye? 
CHICK 

Am'  I  yo'  frien'— ? 
LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

Sho'  yo'  is!    An'  I  wan's  yo'  ter  stay  mah  frien'. 

(Chick  grins  and  shakes  his  head,  as  though  he  re 
garded  her  as  an  extremely  difficult  person  to  un 
derstand^) 

CHICK  (breaking  into  song) 
"Yo'  kin  break  mah  bones, 
Wid  sticks  an'  stones, 
But  I'se  gwine  ter  live  anahow  till  I  die." 

LUCY   BELLE 

Yo'  oughter  be  singin'   fo'   a  livin' — 'stead-a 
barbarin'. 
CHICK 
Dat's  w'at  ev'body  tell  me. 

(They  both  laugh  explosively.  Lucy  Belle  sits 
down.) 

CHICK  (at  length) 

Enjoyed  yo'se'f  at  dat  dance  at  de  Mawnin' 
Star,did'n'yo'? 

LUCY   BELLE 

Sho'  did—! 

CHICK 

Glad  yo'  wen',  now.  ain'  yo'? 
107 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

I  reckon  so. 

CHICK 

Yo'  knows  so! 

LUCY   BELLE 

Anaway  yo'  says. 
CHICK 
Had  ter  beg  yo'  long  nuff  ter  git  yo'  ter  go. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  was'n'  feelin'  so  good  jes'  den. 
CHICK 

'Noder  dance  up  dere  Saturday  night. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Yo'  don'  say — 
CHICK 

Big  or-kestra.  an'  plenty  ter  drink. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  gwine — ? 

CHICK 

Sho'!    Wan' ter  go? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Kain't. 
CHICK  (impatiently) 

Sho'  yo'  kin.    (She  shakes  her  head.)    Wat's  de 
mattah  wid  yo'  ? 

LUCY   BELLE 

Not  dis  time. 
CHICK 
Why  not?    Is  yo'  sick? 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  ain'  feelin'  jes'  right. 
1 08 


GOAT  ALLEY 


CHICK 

Dat's  wa't  yo'  needs — ter  git  out  an'  have  a 
good  time. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  know — 

CHICK 

Yo'  wan*  ter  quit  wukkin'  so  steady. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Tell  me  somefin'  I  don'  know. 
CHICK 
Why  don'  yo'— ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Why  don'  I  quit  breafin'? 
CHICK 

Yo'  look  ten  yeahs  younger  at  dat  las'  dance. 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  deprecating  laugh) 

Wish  I  thought  so. 
CHICK 

I'm  tellin'  yo'  so! 

LUCY   BELLE 

Did'n'  feel  no  ten  yeahs  younger  w'en  I  gits  out 
on  dat  flo'. 
CHICK 

'Noder  one  up  dere  free  weeks  from  nex'  Satur 
day. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dat  so? 

CHICK 

Come  on  an*  go  ter  dat. 
LUCY  BELLE  (rising) 

Kain't,  Chick. 
CHICK  (sliding  off  the  table) 

Gwine  ter  stick  home  yere — all  de  time? 
109 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY   BELLE 

Right  now,  I  is. 

CHICK 

Luce — is  yo'  sore  at  me? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No — no,  indeedy,  Chick. 
CHICK 

Den  w'at's  de  mattah? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Nuffin'— nuffin'  at  all.    Only  I  jes'  don'  wan* 
ter  go  nowhars — fo'  a  while. 
CHICK 

An'  yo'  don*  wan*  me  ter  show  yo'  a  good  time  ? 
(She  shakes  her  head.)    Or  he'p  yo'  out  a  lil' — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Don'  wan*  nobody  ter  he'p  me  out! 

(Chick  springs  over  to  her  side  and  takes  her 
forcibly  in  his  arms.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Chick!     Stop!    Oh,  m ah  Gawd— !    Yo'— ! 

CHICK 

Yo'  mine — mine — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (struggling  frantically  to  free  herself) 

Lemme  go,  Chick — !     Chick!     Stop — ! 
CHICK 

Mah  HI'  budigee — !     Yas,  yo'  is!     Ain'   yo' 

mine!    Damn  yo',  say  yo's  mine! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Lemme  go!    Yo'  wan'  me  ter  yell,  "Po-lice!" 
CHICK  (savagely) 

Yo'   ain'   gwine   ter  yell  nuffin'!     (His  arms 
no 


GOAT  ALLEY 


tighten  about  her.)  Gimme  a  kiss!  Come  on! 
Yo'  yere  me? 

LUCY  BELLE  (turning  her  head  away  and  protesting 
between  gasps) 
Chick!    Yo'  killin'  me— ! 

CHICK 

Kiss  me — lovah!    Yo'  yere — !     Kiss  me! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh,  Gawd— !     Chick,  don'—! 

(He  contrives  to  implant  a  prolonged  kiss  on  her 
lips.  At  length,  with  a  superhuman  effort,  she 
wrenches  herself  free  >  and  retreats  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  table.  Chick  starts  to  follow  her, 
whereupon  she  runs  around  to  the  back  of  the 
table,  where  she  stands,  breathing  heavily  and 
weak  from  the  struggle.  Chick  stands  facing  her 
— on  the  opposite  side  of  the  table  and  with  back 
to  the  audience — his  muscles  taut,  as  though 
ready  to  lunge  after  her.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (stretching  out  her  arms  beseechingly) 
Don',  Chick — oh,  don' — !  Don'  come  at  me 
like  dat! 

CHICK 

Luce — listen  ter  me — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Chick — !    Please — !    Sam — mah  own  Sam-boy 
— he's  mah  lovah.    He's  de  onlies'  one — now! 
CHICK 
He  ain'  nevah  comin'  back  ter  yo'! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas,  he  is!    De  minute  he  git  out!    Yo'  don' 
know  Sam  like  I  does.    I  got  ter  stick  ter  him — 
in 


GOAT  ALLEY 


no  matter  weder  he  in  jail  or  not.  Gimme  a 
chanct,  Chick.  Please — !  Yo'  mah  bes'  frien' 
— nex'  ter  Sam.  Gimme  a  chanct  ter  keep  mah 
promise  ter  him!  Don'  do  nuffin'  dat  gwine 
ter  make  him  come  back  an'  kill  yo'!  (His 
muscles  relax,  as  though  her  appeal  had  moved 
him  somewhat.)  Don' — don*  come  at  me  like 
dat.  Chick,  ole  boy — 

(He  gives  a  little ',  hollow  laugh,  reaches  in  his 
pocket,  brings  out  a  package  of  Sweet  Corporals, 
puts  one  in  his  mouth  and  lights  it.  Lucy  Belle 
runs  a  hand  over  her  hair,  which  is  all  dishevelled, 
then  glances  down  at  her  waist.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Don'  make  a  wreck  ob  me. 

(She  moves  hesitatingly  to  the  door,  Left,  and 
pauses  for  a  moment  when  she  reaches  there.  He 
watches  her  with  a  narrow,  tense  gaze.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

'Scuse  me  a  minute. 

(She  goes  out,  Left.  Chick  leans  back  against  the 
table  and  smokes  in  sullen,  contemplative  silence. 
Presently  a  knock  sounds  on  the  door,  Back.  Chick 
turns  his  head  and  listens.  The  knock  sounds 
again.  He  goes  nonchalantly  to  the  door  and 
opens  it.  Aunt  Rebecca  stands  in  the  doorway?) 

AUNT  REBECCA  (exclaiming) 

Gawd-a-massy!     Chick  A  very,  how  is  yo'? 
CHICK 

Fine  and  dandy. 

112 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(She  steps  into  the  room.    Chick  closes  the  door.) 

AUNT   REBECCA 

Still  on  de  Norfolk  boat? 
CHICK 
Yas,  indeedy. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Makin'  good  money? 
CHICK 

Would  V  be  dere  ef  I  was'n'. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Whar's  Lucy  Belle? 

CHICK 

In  dere.    (He  inclines  his  head  toward  the  room, 
of  Left.) 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Drap  in  ter  say  howdy.     (Chick,  who  has  stood 

with  his  hand  on  the  knob,  opens  the  door  again.) 

Yo'  ain'  gwine — ? 
CHICK 

On  mah  way.     See  yo'  some  mo'. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (shortly) 

Goodbye. 

(He  goes  out,  closing  the  door  after  him.) 

AUNT  REBECCA  (somewhat  peeved  by  the  abruptness 

of  his  departure) 

Humph!    No-count,  like  all  de  res'  dem  yallow 

niggahs      (Calling.)      Lucy    Belle — oh,    Lucy 

Belle! 
LUCY  BELLE  (off  stage ,  Left) 

Dat  yo',  Aun'  Becky—? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

Sho'  is,  honey! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Come  on  in  yere. 

(Aunt  Rebecca  goes  out,  Left.  A  moment  or  two 
later  the  door.  Back,  opens  afoot  or  two  and  SHm 
sticks  his  head  in  and  looks  about.  Seeing  no  one, 
he  enters  stealthily  and  closes  the  door  slowly  and 
with  extreme  care.  He  moves  cautiously  to  the 
chair.  Left  Center,  on  which  Lucy  Belle's  coat 
lies.  He  picks  up  the  coat — or  jacket — and  goes 
rapidly  through  the  pockets  in  search  of  her  pocket 
book.  Unable  to  find  it  in  them,  he  drops  the  coat 
and  stands  in  tense  thought.  His  eyes  wander 
over  to  the  cupboard,  Left.  With  quick,  cat-like 
movements  he  goes  to  it,  opens  one  of  the  top  doors, 
removes  the  lid  from  a  crockery  jar,  peers  into  it, 
sees  nothing,  removes  the  lid  from  the  next  one, 
peers  into  it,  discovers  the  pocket  book,  reaches  in 
and  takes  it  out.  He  quickly  extracts  the  four  one- 
dollar  bills,  counts  them  and  stuffs  them  in  his 
pocket.  He  then  drops  the  pocket  book  back  in  the 
jar,  replaces  the  lid,  and  closes  the  door  of  the  cup 
board.  He  slips  quickly  across  to  the  door,  Back, 
opens  it  and  goes  out.  In  his  hurry  to  get  out  he 
gives  the  door  a  little  bang  as  he  shuts  it.  A  mo 
ment  later  Lucy  Belle  enters,  Left,  with  a  startled, 
inquiring  look  and  glances  about.) 

AUNT  REBECCA  (off  stage,  Left) 
Wat's  de  mattah? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Thought  I  yered  somebody  come  in. 
114  ' 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(Aunt  Rebecca  enters.  Left.) 

AUNT  REBECCA  (glancing  about) 
Jes'  now? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Go  'long! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Reckon  I  mus'  been  dreamin*. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Wat  yo'  yere? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Soun'  like  de  do*  shetthV. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Sho'  don'  see  nobody. 

LUCY  BELLE  (glancing  at  the  clock  on  the  cupboard. 
The  hands  point  to  half -past  one) 
Um!    Got  ter  hussle. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Wukkin'  dis  afternoon? 
LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

Lot-a  ironin'  ter  do.    Got  ter  git  some  dinnah 

fust,  dough. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (in  surprise) 

Ain'  yo'  had  yo*  dinnah? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Gawd-a-massy ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Waste  a  lot-a  time  chewin'  de  rag  wid  Chick. 
"5 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

Go  ahaid!     Don'  lemme  stop  yo'. 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  sigh,  as  she  picks  up  her  jacket) 
Gawd — !    (Draws  a  hand  across  her  forehead.) 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Honey,  w'at's  de  mattah — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh— nuffin'— 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  did'n'  look  right  ter  me  w'en  I  fus'  look  at 
yo' — in  dere  jes'  now. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Fse  a  HI'  tired — dat's  all,  I  reckon. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (stepping  over  and  observing  Lucy 
Belle  closely) 
Why,  honey,  yo'  all  nervous  an'  trembly — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  I  am',  Aim'  Becky — 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  is !    Now,  listen  ter  me — don*  yo'  go  ter  wuk 
dis  aftahnoon. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Got  ter! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

No  yo'  ain'!    Wat  yo'  talkin'  'bout? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Put  Moy  in  a  hole  ef  I  don'. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Don'  make  no  difference. 

LUCY    BELLE 

'Spose  ter  deliver  mos'-a  dem  clothes  termorrer. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  good  healf  come  fust. 
116 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Liable  ter  git  sore  an'  git  somebody  else  ef  I 
don'  show  up. 

AUNT    REBECCA  (with  a  Snort) 

Wat  d'yo'  care?  Let  him!  Dat  ole  Chink 
ain'  got  de  onlies'  job  in  de  worl'. 

LUCY  BELLE  (shakes  her  head} 
Ain'  got  no  time  ter  go  'roun'  lookin'  fo'  some- 
fin'  else  right  now. 

AUNT  REBECCA  (impatiently) 
Yo'  nevah  take  no  Vice. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Yas,  I  does,  Aim'  Becky,  but — 

AUNT   REBECCA 

Yo'  don' — !    Yo'  be  in  bed  ef  yo'  ain'  careful. 
LUCY  BELLE  (in  conciliatory  tones) 

'Deed,  I  got  ter  git  back  dere  dis  aftahnoon. 
AUNT   REBECCA    (shuffling  grumpily  toward  door. 

Back} 

Go  ahaid,  den.    Git  yo'se'f  some  dinnah  fo'  yo' 

do,  dough. 

LUCY  BELLE 

I'se  sho'  gwine  ter!  Reckon  I  feel  bettah  aftah 
I  gits  a  HI'  somefin'  ter  eat.  (following  Aunt 
Rebecca  to  the  door.)  Come  ovah  dis  evenin ! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

I  don'  know — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh,  please,  Aun'  Becky. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (at  the  door) 
Wat  time? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh — oh,  'bout  eight  o'clock. 
117 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT  REBECCA  (nodding) 
See  yo*  some  mo'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

See  yo'  some  mo'. 

(Aunt  Rebecca  goes  out,  Back.  Lucy  Belle  puts 
on  her  jacket.  She  goes  to  the  cubpoard,  Left,  opens 
the  top  door,  removes  the  lid  from  the  crockery  jar, 
reaches  in  and  gets  her  pocket  book.  Something 
about  its  flatness  rouses  her  curiosity.  She  casu 
ally  opens  it.  A  look  of  tragic  dismay  comes  over 
her  face  as  she  discovers  that  the  money  is  missing.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh,  Gawd! 

(She  fumbles  about  in  the  jar  again,  then  searches 
through  her  pockets.  It  suddenly  comes  over  her  that 
she  has  been  robbed.  She  stands  staring  dumbly 
before  her  with  an  expression  of  anguish  and 
despair.  Israel  and  Fanny  run  in.  Back.) 

ISRAEL 

Mamma!     I'se  hangry! 
FANNY 

Wen  we  gwine  ter  have  dinnah? 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  sob) 

Hush  up! 

FANNY 

Yo'  said  yo'd  have  it  right  'way. 
ISRAEL 

Mamma — am'  yo'  gwine  ter  hurry? 
LUCY  BELLE  (in  a  choking  voice) 

Yas,  yas — Mamma's  gwine  right  out — 
118 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(She  is  suddenly  seized  with  a  spell  of  dizziness. 
She  sways  unsteadily  for  a  moment  or  two,  finally 
collapses  and  sinks  heavily  down  on  a  chair.  The 
children  scream  and  run  to  her  side.  She  places 
one  hand  against  the  table,  grips  the  back  of  the 
chair  with  the  other  and  manages  to  hold  herself 
up.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (in  weak,  disjointed  tones) 

Israel,  son — hush!  Yo'  yere  me — ?  Mamma's 
gwine  ter  be  all  right.  Fanny!  Git  me  glass-a 
watah.  (The  girl  hesitates^  Go  on!  Quick! 

(Fanny  runs  off,  Left) 

ISRAEL  (crying) 

Mamma!     Yo' — yo'  gwine  ter  die? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no!    Hush  up! 

(He  clings  to  her  sobbingly.  Fanny  enters,  Left, 
with  the  glass  of  water  and  hurries  to  her  mother's 
side.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (to  Israel) 

Son!  Mamma  gwine  ter  beat  yo'  ef  yo'  don' 
stop! 

FANNY 

Yere,  Mamma! 

(The  child  hands  Lucy  Belle  the  glass  of  water. 
She  drinks  it  slowly.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (half  to  herself) 

Gawd,  dat  tas'  good.    (She  gradually  revives.   At 
length,  as  she  sets  the  glass  on  the  table.)    Listen 
119 


GOAT  ALLEY 


ter  me,  yo'  chillen.  Wan*  yo'  bof  ter  run  up 
ter  Moy  Wing's.  Yo'  yere  me?  (They  nod.) 
Run  up  dere — an'  tell  him  dat  Mamma  gwine 
ter  be  late.  Go  ahaid,  now.  Beat  it!  (They 
hang  back,  still  sobbing.)  Go  on!  (They  run  to 
the  doo^  Back.)  Say  dat  he — he  bettah  git 
somebody  ter  he'p  me  out — !  Understan' — ? 

FANNY 

Yassum. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Beat  it  now! 

(They  go  out.  Back,  closing  the  door  after  them. 
Lucy  Belle,  weak  and  completely  unnerved,  sits 
staring  tragically  before  her.  At  length  a  knock 
sounds  on  the  door,  Back.) 

LUCY  BELLE   (half  turning  and  speaking  in  still 
feeble  tones) 
Come  in! 

(The  door  opens  and  Chick  Avery  enters.  Lucy 
Belle  struggles  to  her  feet.) 

CHICK 

Back  agin — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Oh — er — !     Did'n'  take  yo'  long — . 
CHICK 

No  rooms  at  de  Gran'  Imperial.  Gwine  on  out 
ter  mah  broder's. 

(He  directs  a  fascinated  gaze  at  her  for  a  brief  in 
terval,  as  though  half-tempted  to  make  another 
ardent  and  forcible  appeal.  He  thinks  better  of  it, 
however,  and  starts  to  reach  for  the  suit  case.) 

120 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (/«  tremulous,  half -hysterical  tones) 

Chick—! 
CHICK  (straightening  up) 

Yas— ? 

LUCY   BELLE 

Reckon  yo'  kin  have  dat  room. 
CHICK  (incredulously) 
Wat—  ? 

LUCY   BELLE 

I— I'll  rent  it  ter  yo'. 

CHICK  (as  though  he  could  hardly  believe  his  ears) 
Luce—! 

(She  half  turns  away  from  him  and  gazes  before 
her  with  a  face  full  of  woe.) 

CURTAIN 


121 


ACT  III 

The  same  as  Act  II— a  year  and  a  half  later. 

It  is  early  evening  and  the  lamp  on  the  table  is 
lighted.  The  chimney  is  badly  smoked  and  the 
guttering  flames  cast  eerie  shadows  about  on  the 
walls. 

Aunt  Rebecca  is  discovered  seated  to  Right  of  table. 
Lucy  Belle  is  seated  near  her,,  Right  Center.,  and  is 
noticeably  thinner  and  more  wan  than  in  the  pre 
ceding  act.  On  the  floor  at  her  side  sits  a  large 
basket^  full  of  washing  and  on  a  chair  nearby  lies 
her  coat  and  hat. 

The  imposing  cupboard  which  formerly  stood  against 
the  wall,  Lefty  and  the  large  easy  chair  are  missing. 

LUCY   BELLE 

'Deed,  we  done  miss  yo'  while  yo's  sick. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (shaking  her  head) 
Don'  wan'  no  mo'  spells  like  dat. 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  indeedy!    I  reckon  not. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Been  six  yeahs  since  rheumetiz  took  me  down 
like  dat. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Git  yo'  hard  w'en  it  do. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

'Deed  it  do,  'deed  it  do! 

122 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Mighty  sorry  I  did'n'  git  in  ter  see  yo'  mo*  den 
I  did. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Dat's  all  right.    I  am'  boderin'  'bout  dat  at  all. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo' — yo'  see,  I'se  so  busy  wid  mah  wuk,  an' 
lookin'  aftah  thin's  'roun  de  house — an' — an' 
de  baby. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yas,  yas — honey.     I  knows  how  it  is. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Yo'  'scuse  me  a  minute,  won'  yo'? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Sartainly,  sartainly. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Got  ter  run  'roun'  ter  Miss  Erminie's  wid  dis 
yere  washin'. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Sho' — sho',  honey!  Yo'  go  right  'long.  Don' 
yo'  boder  'bout  me. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Only  jes'  'roun'  de  corner.  Be  right  back. 
(Rising  and  moving  toward^  Left.}  Reckon  I 
bettah  bring  dat  baby  out  yere.  No  tellin' 
w'at  dem  chillen  liable  ter  do  ter  it  while  I'se 
gone. 

(She  goes  out.  Left,  and  returns  immediately 
carrying  a  very  young  Negro  baby.) 

AUNT  REBECCA  (exclaiming) 

Mah  soul,  dat's  a  fine  baby!     Ain'  he  dough? 
Yo'  wan'  me  ter  hoi'  him? 
123 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Ef  yo'  don'  min' — till  I  gits  back. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Sho' !  Sho' !  (Lucy  Belle  places  the  baby  in  Aunt 
Rebecca  s  arms  and  the  old  woman  gazes  down 
at  him  admiringly^)  Gawd-a-massy!  Bless  yo' 
heart!  Ain'  yo'  mah  HI'  honey-boy?  Smile  at 
me  —  dat's  it  —  smile !  Ootchum-kootchum ! 
Ootchum — kootchum ! 

(fanny  and  Israel  run  in.  Left.  Both  wear 
nightgowns^) 

FANNY 

Mamma!    Whar  yo'  all  gwine? 

ISRAEL 

Mamma!    Git  me  some  candy! 
LUCY  BELLE  (sharply) 

Yo' all  hush!    Git  right  back  ter  bed!    Go 'long! 
FANNY  (whimpering) 

I'se  scar't  ob  de  night  doctahs. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Hush,  child!    Night  doctahs  ain'  gwine  ter  git 
yo'  in  yere.    Go  'long!    (Threateningly^)    D'yo' 
wan'  me  ter  knock  yo'  haids  off? 
ISRAEL 

Mamma!    Git  me — ! 

(Lucy  Belle  grabs  them  roughly  and  pushes  them 
through  the  door.  Left,  and  closes  it  after  them. 
They  cry  for  several  moments  and  then  gradually 
stop.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  little  sigh,  as  she  comes  back  to 
Center) 

Reckon  I  bettah  be  on  mah  way.     (Beginning 
124 


GOAT  ALLEY 


to  put  on  her  hat  and  coat.)  I  ain'  nevah  had  no 
luck.  Some  gals  gits  by  widout  no  trouble  at 
all.  I  ain'  one-a  dem  kin'.  Nuffin'  I  evah  done 
come  out  right — nuffin'  at  all.  Ef  I  starts 
anathin'  it's  boun'  ter  go  wrong.  I — I'se  con- 
juhed  fo'  life. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Hush,  chile!  Don*  git  down  in  de  mouf  like 
dat.  Yo'  luck  liable  ter  change  any  minute. 
MinJ  did  aftah  I  gits  rid-a  dem  warts. 

LUCY   BELLE 

I  ain'  got  no  bus'ness  wid  all  dese  chillen.  Fse 
a  fool — Gawd  knows  I  is.  (Wistfully.)  Ain' 
only  one  niggah  evah  treated  me  decent.  Gawd 
knows,  he  treated  me  right! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  means  Sam.     (Lucy  Belle  nods.)     Still  in 
jail,  ain'  he? 
LUCY  BELLE  (nodding) 

Down  in  de  penitentiary  at  Moun'sville.  He 
kain't  write,  so  I  don'  nevah  yere  from  him. 

AUNT   REBECCA 

Nevah  min',  he  gwine  ter  come  back  someday. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Gawd,  I  hope  so! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Wat  come  dat  yallow — um — lessee — w'at's  his 
name — uster  see  him  'roun'  yere— 

LUCY    BELLE 

Chick  Avery. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yas — Chick  Avery.    Dat  who  I  means. 
125 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (darkly) 

He  git  a  job  barbarin'  on  de  boat  dat  run  from 
New  York  ter  Chawlston. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Go  'long — ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (bitterly) 

Been  gone  free  mon's.  I  am'  seen  nor  yere  from 
him  since  he  leP.  (She  picks  up  the  basket  of 
clothes  and  goes  to  the  door,  Back.)  Only  be  a 
minute,  Aun'  Becky. 

(Aunt  Rebecca  grunts  and  nods.  Lucy  Belle 
goes  out,  Back.  Aunt  Rebecca  sits  in  brooding 
thought  for  a  moment  or  two,  then  begins  to  chant 
to  herself.) 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  — um 

—  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a!    Trouble  in  mah 
soul !    Um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a 
— um — a — um — a!    Trouble  in  mah  soul!    Um 

—  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a!   Trouble 
in  mah  soul!    (High  treble.)    Um — a — um — a — 
um — a — um — a — um — a — um — a!     Trouble  in 
mah  soul !     Um  —  a  —  um  —  a  —  um  —  a  — 
um — a — um — a — um — a ! 

(Footsteps  and  someone  whistling  are  heard  off 
stage,  Back.  Aunt  Rebecca  stops  and  listens. 
The  door  opens  and  Slim  Dorsey  enters.  Back.) 

SLIM 

'Lo,  Aun'  Becky.    Wat  yo'  all  doin'  yere? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Min'en  de  baby  fo'  Lucy  Belle. 
126 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SLIM 

Wharshe? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Takin'  washin'  'roun*  ter  Miss  Erminie's. 

(Slim  takes  a  bag  of  tobacco  and  a  pack  of  cigarette 
papers  from  his  pocket  and  proceeds  to  roll  a 
cigarette^) 

SLIM 

Dat  gal  ain'  no  good.    She  make  twict  as  much 

ef  she  was  ter  wuk  out. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (sharply) 

Wat  kin'-a  bruder  is  yo'?    Dat  ain*  no  way  ter 

talk.    Wat  she  do  wid  de  chillen — an' — an'  dis 

yere  baby? 
SLIM  (licking  the  cigarette) 

Make  a  present  ob  'em  ter  somebody. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Shame  on  yo' — shame  on  yo' — talkin'  like  dat! 
She  do  de  bes'  she  kin!    An*  yo'  jes'  lay  'roun' 
an*  let  her  keep  yo'. 
SLIM 

Dat's  a  lie!  I  wuks  a  damn  sight  harder  den  she 
do. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Whar  yo'  wuk? 

SLIM 

On  de  wharf — shuckin'  oysters. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Dat  steady? 
SLIM 

Steady  in  season.     I  fishes  w'en  I  ain'  wukkin' 
dere.      Dat's   why   we   move   ovah   yere   from 
127 


GOAT  ALLEY 


Carter  Street — ter  be  handy  ter  de  rivah.  Don' 
yo'  all  go  lyin'  'bout  me  livin'  off  Lucy  Belle, — 
'less  yo'  lookin'  fo'  trouble. 

(Aunt  Rebecca  glowers  at  him  and  remains  silent 
for  a  brief  interval.  Slim  lights  his  cigarette  and 
sits  astride  a  chair,  with  the  back  to  the  front.) 

AUNT  REBECCA  (at  length) 

She  got  too  many  chillen. 
SLIM 

Am'  nobody  knows  dat  bettah  den  I  do.     No 

niggah  an'  gwine  ter  take  up  wid    her  now. 

Mink  Hall  was  crazy  fo'  ter  marry  her  one  time. 

Huh — he  wouldn'  look  sideways  at  her  now  ef 

he  was  ter  pass  her  in  de  street. 

(The  wind  blows  and  whistles  through  the  cracks. 
Aunt  Rebecca  straightens  up  stiffly  and  rolls  her 
eyes.) 

AUNT  REBECCA  (in  low,  frightened  tones) 

Gawd-a-massy!  Yo'  ain'  gwine  ter  git  me — yo' 
ole  hussy! 

SLIM 
Wat's  de  mattah? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Dat's  Lil  Mundy  tryin'  ter  git  back  at  me. 
SLIM  (with  a  derisive  laugh) 
Wat  fo'? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Fo'  kickin'  dat  ole  dog  ob  hers  off  mah  do'step. 

(Lucy  Belle  enters,  Back,  carrying  the  empty 
basket.) 

128 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT  REBECCA  (exclaiming) 

Lan'  sake,  chile!     It  ain'  takin'  yo'  long. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Don'  see  me  wastin*  no  time  on  a  night  like  dis. 
(Giving  Slim  a  stony  stared)  'Lo,  Slim.  (She 
drops  the  basket  near  the  door,  and  removes  her  hat 
and  coat.) 

SLIM  (jumping  up  and  going  to  her  quickly) 
Luce — ! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat—  ? 

SLIM 

Sam's  yere! 
LUCY  BELLE  (blankly ,  as  she  searches  his  face) 

Wat  d'ye-'  mean? 
SLIM 

He's  back  yere  in  Wash'nin'. 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  gasp) 

Oh,  Gawd!     (Comes  down  to  Right  Center  and 

drops  her  hat  and  coat  on  a  chair.) 
SLIM 

Mink  Hall  jes'  seen  him  uptown.    He  stops  in 

Seventh  Street  ter  buy  yo'  all  somefin'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Whar  did  yo'  see  Mink? 

SLIM 

On  de  wharf.  Jes'  come  ovah  dere  from  up 
town.  Sam  tol'  him  dat  he  comin'  right  on  out 
yere. 

LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  cry  of  ecstasy) 

Sam!    Mah  Sam-boy!    (Then  in  tones  tremulous 
with  emotion.)    How  did  he  git  out  so  soon? 
9  129 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SLIM 

Got  his  sentence  cut  short  fo'  bein  good — like  I 
done  toF  yo'  he  might. 
LUCY  BELLE  (agitatedly) 
Wat — w'at  did  Mink  say  ter  him — 'bout  me? 

SLIM 

Nuffin',  I  reckon — 'Cept  dat  he  am'  seen  yo'  in 
a  good  while — an'  dat  yo'  still  livin'  yere  in 
Goat  Alley. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo' — yo'  ain'  nevah  tol'  Mink  dat  I — I  got — 

SLIM 

Yo'  mean*  'bout  de  baby?  (She  nods.)  No, 
no!  W'at  I  tell  him  dat  fo'? 

LUCY  BELLE  (in  earnest  entreaty) 
Slim — Slim — !  Go  down  ter  end  ob  de  alley — 
dere  by  de  stable.  Sam  gwine  ter  come  in  dat 
way  sho'  as  yo'  bawn  ef  he  been  up  on  Seventh 
Street.  Ketch  him  dere — an'  take  him  ovah 
ter  Gerner's.  Say  dat  I  gone  ovah  ter  Mag's 
an'  dat  I  be  back  late  ternight. 

SLIM 

I  ain'  boderin'  'bout  him. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Slim,  please,  honey!  Won'yo'?  Dat  ain' gwine 
ter  hurt  yo'.  (She  pulls  up  her  skirt,  reaches 
down  in  her  stocking  and  pulls  out  a  dollar  bill.) 
Yere!  (She  hands  it  to  Slim.)  Please — jes'  dis 
onct!  Won'  yo' — ?  (He  slowly  nods,  and  starts 
toward  the  door.  She  calls  after  him.  He  halts 
and  turns.)  Slim,  don'  tell  him  whar  I  is.  Jes' — 
jes'  say  I'se  gone  away — an'  dat  I  won'  be  back 
130 


GOAT  ALLEY 


till  in  de  mawnin'.     Yo'  yere?     Say  yo  'don' 

know  whar  I  is! 
SLIM 

All  right.    (He  goes  out,  Back.) 
LUCY  BELLE  (turning  to  Aunt  Rebecca) 

I — I  did'n'  have  no  kin'-a  idea  Sam  'ud  git  out 

so  soon.      (Rapturously  }      Sam!     Mah,  Sam! 

(Then  fearfully.}    But — but  I  kain't  see  him  yet 

—no,  no — ! 

AUNT   REBECCA 

Now,  now — !    Don'  yo'  git  yo'se'f  in  no  stew. 
LUCY  BELLE  (wringing  her  hands) 

I  tol*  yo'  I  ain'  nevah  had  no  luck!  Wat  kin'  a 
po'  gal  like  me  do?  Yo' — yo'  see  I  got  dis  yere 
baby.  It — it's  free  mon's  ole,  now.  Ef—  ef  he 
see  dat — Oh,  Gawd! 

AUNT   REBECCA 

Yo'  reckon — ! 

LUCY   BELLE 

He'd  kill  me — sho'  as  yo'  bawn!  Yo'  see — yo' 
see,  his  time  was'n'  up  fo'  mos'  anoder  yeah. 
Him  a'  me  ain'  nevah  had  no  luck  an'  I  did'n' t 
calc'late  he'd  git  out  befo'.  I — I  was  gwine  ter 
git  ready  an'  move  in  'bout  six  mon's.  Den  I 
was  gwine  ter  writ  ter  de  Warden — or  de  keeper 
—or  somebody  like  dat  an'  git  dem  ter  tell  him 
whar  I  move  ter.  (Moving  about  agitatedly^) 
Ef  he  only  knowed  what  I  been  up  agin!  I — I 
promised  him  I  would'n'  look  at  anabody  else 
while  he  was  gone.  Ef  I'd-a  had  any  kin'a- 
luck  nuffin'  'ud  make  me  break  it.  I  loves  Sam. 
I  loves  him  bettah  den  anathin'  in  de  worl'.  He 
knows  I  does.  (A  moment's  pause.  Her  eyes 


GOAT  ALLEY 


rove  space.)  Las'  wintah  I  could'n'  git  nuffin' 
much  ter  do — dat  is  nuffin'  dat  pay  me  much 
money — an'  I  had  trouble  rentin'  dat  room — . 
(She  pauses  for  a  moment,  and  drops  her  eyes,  then 
goes  on  slowly.)  Chick  A  very  comes  'roun' — yo' 
know — an'  I  let's  him  stay  yere — (She  pauses 
again,  and  then  points  at  the  baby.)  Dat's  his 
chile. 

AUNT  REBECCA  (in  heartfelt  sympathy) 
Yo'  po',  po'  honey! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wen  me  an'  Sam  fust  met  up  he  says,  "Lucy 
Belle,  I  don'  care  nuffin'  at  all  'bout  w'at  yo' 
done  fo'  I  knowed  yo'.  Dat's  all  pas'  an'  gone 
an'  somefin'  we  ain'  gwine  ter  boder  our  haids 
'bout."  (She  stares  into  space  with  tragic  eyes.) 
But — but  he  tol'  me  onct  dat  ef  I  evah  had  ana- 
thin'  ter  do  wid  anoder  niggah  he'd  kill  me. 

AUNT   REBECCA 

He  ain'  gwine  ter  do  nuffin'  like  dat!    Don'  yo' 
worry! 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  faint,  wistful  smile) 

He's  de  onlies'  niggah  dat  evah  done  anathin' 
much  fo'  me.  Mah  own  Sam-boy,  baby  buddy! 
(She  stares  abstractedly  into  space  for  a  moment  or 
two.)  An' — an'  yo'  see  he's  comin'  right  back  ter 
me — now  he's  out. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yas,  indeedy!     I  reckon  he  is! 
LUCY  BELLE  (clenching  her  hands) 
Oh,  Gawd! 

132 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

Nevah  yo'  min',  honey.  Yo'  ain'  got  nuffin'  ter 
worry  'bout. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Sam  nevah  boder  his  haid  'bout  oder  gals — not 
since  he  know  me — 'cept  ole  Lizzie  Gibbs  fo'  a 
HI'  while—  (Fearfully?)  Dat's  de  onlies'  thin* 
I'se  scar't  of — is  dat  niggahs  will  lie  an'  black 
guard  on  me! 

AUNT  REBECCA  (indicating  the  baby) 
Who  all  know  yo'  got  dis  yere  chile? 

LUCY   BELLE 

Only  two  or  free  people  yere  in  Goat  Alley — an' 
Slim  an'  Mag  an'  yo'.  Mag's  mah  frien'  ovah 
in  Anacostia. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Ef  I  did'n'  have  dem  gran'chillen  I'd  keep  de 
baby  fo'  yo'. 

LUCY   BELLE 

No,  no!  Would'n'  wan'  yo'  ter  do  nuffin'  like 
dat. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Wat  yo'  calc'late  yo'  do? 

LUCKY    BELLE 

I  don'  know,  I  don'  know!  I  kin  take  him  ovah 
ter  Mag's — but  even  ef  I  does — she  kain't  keep 
him  long — an'-  (Pacing  about  agitatedly?) 
I — I'se  got  ter  do  somefm'  quick!  (In  anguish?) 
I  ain'  done  no  mo'  den  oder  gals — an' — an'- 
Sam  got  ter  fo'give  me! 

(A  knock  sounds  on  the  door,  Back.  Lucy  Belle 
starts.) 

133 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (in  low  tones  to  Aunt  Rebecca) 
Take  him  in  dere.    (She  points  off,  Left.) 

(Aunt  Rebecca  rises  with  the  baby  and  goes  out 
hurriedly,  Left.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (as  Aunt  Rebecca  leaves) 
Come  in ! 

(The  door.  Back,  opens  and  Lizzie  Gibbs  enters. 
She  wears  no  hat  and  has  a  light  shawl  thrown 
over  her  shoulders?) 

LIZZIE  (slouching  in) 
To! 

LUCY  BELLE  (starts  back  with  a  look  of  consterna 
tion) 
To—! 

LIZZIE 

H'yo'—  ? 
LUCY  BELLE  (brusquely) 

Fine  an*  dandy! 
LIZZIE 

I  reckon  yo'  is!     Thought  I'd  fin'  yo'  flyin' 

'roun'  wid  yo'  eyes  poppin'  out-a  yo'  haid. 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  studied  complacency) 

I  don'  know  w'at  yo'  all  talkin'  'bout. 
LIZZIE  (with  a  loud,  sarcastic  laugh) 

Ha!    Ha!    Ain'  got  nuffin'  on  yo'  min' — huh? 
LUCY  BELLE  (defiantly) 

Not  a  thin'! 
LIZZIE 

Good  frien*  ob  yo's  back  in  town. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Now  yo'  said  somefin'.     Who? 
134 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LIZZIE  (darkly) 

Dat's  right — preten'  yo'  don'  know  nuffin'  'bout 
it — yo'  damn  lil'  hussy! 

LUCY    BELLE  (hotly) 

Don'  yo'  call  me  no  hussy! 
LIZZIE 

Don'  yo'  stan'  up  dere  an'  tell  me  yo'  don' 

know  Sam  Reed  ain'  home. 
LUCY  BELLE  (simulating  great  surprise) 

Sam!    No!     Is  yo'  seen  him? 
LIZZIE  (mysteriously) 

Ha!     Ha!     I  guess  he  don'  fo'git  ole  frien's. 
LUCY  BELLE  (in  sharp  derision) 

Huh!     I  bet  yo'  ain'!     I  bet  yo'  all  I  got  yo' 

ain'! 

LIZZIE 

Yo'  all  got  de  idee  yo'  got  some  kin'-a  strangle 
hoi'  on  Sam,  ain'  yo'? 

LUCY    BELLE   (hotly) 

I  knows  damn  well  he  ain'  gwine  ter  fool  'roun' 
an'  ole  wench  like  yo' ! 
LIZZIE  (menacingly] 

Ef  yo'  say  anathin'  like  dat  agin  I  bus'  yo'  in  de 
mouf!  (Lucy  Belle  gives  an  explosive,  con 
temptuous  laugh.)  Lemme  tell  yo',  gal,  I  knows 
a  thin'  or  two  'bout  yo'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Nuffin'  but  w'at  yo'  make  up  out-a  yo'  own 
haid. 
LIZZIE 

Gawd  knows,  how  many  times  I  see  yo'  on  de 
street  las'  wintah  wid  Chicle  Avery. 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (angrily) 
Yo'  nevah!     Yo'  lie! 

LIZZIE  (with  a  savage  laugh) 

Oh,  yas,  yo'  lil'  angel  face!  Yo'  nevah  done 
nuffin'  wrong  in  yo'  life!  (Darkly.)  Lemme  tell 
yo'  one  thin'!  Keep  yo'  han's  off  dat  niggah— 
dis  time!  Ef  I  yere  yo'  been  foolin'  roun'  aftah 
him  I'se  gwine  ter  raise  some  hell.  (She  turns 
toward  the  door.  Back.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  won'  do  nuffin'! 
LIZZIE  (wheeling  around) 

Ask  anabody  dat  knows  me  ef  I  don'  alias  make 
good! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  am'  gwine  ter  do  nuffin'! 
LIZZIE  (at  the  door) 

Ain'  I?  Yo'  wait  an'  see!  I'se  gwine  ter  make 
dat  face-a  yo's  look  like  a  piece-a  sausage.  Don' 
yo'  come  tryin'  ter  play  any  ob  dat  doll-baby 
bus'ness  wid  me!  Ha!  Ha!  Yo'  damn  lil' 
hussy,  yo' !  (She  goes  out,  Back.) 

(Lucy  Belle  stands  gazing  angrily  after  her.  Aunt 
Rebecca  enters^  Left.) 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Whew-me!  Gawd-a-massy!  Sweah  out  a  war 
rant  fo'  her!  Go  'long!  Don'  yo'  let  no  niggah 
blackguard  yo'  like  dat. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I'll  git  her  mahse'f—  an'  ef  I  don',  Sam  will. 
(Fiercely.)     Some  night  I  ketch  her  alone  an' 
136 


GOAT  ALLEY 


knock  her  haid  off!  'Deed,  I'se  gwine  ter  clean 
up  fo'  her  right! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Low  down  y  all  aw  wench! 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  little  wail  of  despair) 
Now,  right  'way,  she  got  ter  come  mixin'  in 
agin.     (Fiercely.)    I  done  took  all  Fse  gwine  ter 
off  her!    (Moving  about  agitatedly^)    'Deed,  I  is! 
Wat   she   anaway?     Stuck   up   kase   she   got 
straight  hair.    Nevah  done  a  lick-a  wuk  in  her 
life. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Hush,  honey !    Am'  no  use  ter  git  all  wukked  up ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  an  hysterical  laugh) 

Ha!  Ha!  She  think  she  kin  keep  Sam  'way 
from  me!  I  like  ter  see  her!  I  like  ter  see  her! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Nevah  yo*  min'!     Nevah  yo'  min'! 

(A  knock  on  the  door,  Back.  Lucy  Belle  and  Aunt 
Rebecca  start.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (calling  out  in  tremulous  tones) 

Who  dat? 
SAM  (off,  Back) 

Me—! 
LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  gasp) 

It  Sam — ! 

(She  motions  to  Aunt  Rebecca  to  leave  the  room. 
The  old  woman  goes  of  hurriedly,  Left.  Lucy 
Belle  stands  hesitant.  A  look  of  dire  fear  comes 
over  her  face,  and  she  appears  to  be  on  the  verge 
of  collapse.  However,  with  an  effort  she  controls 

137 


GOAT  ALLEY 


herself  and  goes  uncertainly  to  the  door,  Back,  and 
opens  it.  Sam  steps  in.  He  looks  older  and  thin 
ner  than  in  Act  I  and  his  hair  is  streaked  with 
gray,  and  his  shoulders  are  a  trifle  more  stooped  than 
before.  He  wears  a  dark  suit  of  clothes — the  sort 
furnished  to  prisoners  on  the  occasion  of  their 
release — a  collar,  but  no  tie,  and  he  carries  a  small 
bundle  under  one  arm.  In  one  hand  he  carries 
his  hat.) 

SAM  (springing  forward  with  a  cry  of  joy) 

Gal—! 
LUCY  BELLE  (rushing  to  him) 

Sam! 

(He  tosses  his  hat  and  the  bundle  on  the  table,  takes 
her  in  his  arms  and  smothers  her  with  kisses.) 

SAM 

Honey-baby!    Honey-baby! 
LUCY  BELLE  (murmuring  softly) 

Baby!     Baby! 

SAM 

Yo'  am'  fo'got  yo'  ole  Sam,  is  yo'? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no!  Oh,  Sam,  Sam!  Mah  ole  Sam-boy! 
(Clinging  tightly  to  him.)  Oh,  Fse  so  glad  ter 
see  yo' !  Gawd  bless  yo' ! 

SAM 

Honey-baby!    Honey-baby! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ole   Sam-boy!     Mah   honey-baby   buddy-boy! 
I'se  so  glad  ter  see  yo'! 
SAM 

Yo'  all  did'n'  'spec'  me,  did  yo'? 
138 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY   BELLE 

No,  no!     Did'n'  have  no  idea  in  de  worl'  I'se 
gwine  ter  see  yo'  so  soon.    Not  till  jes'  a  minute 
ago.    Slim  come  an'  toP  me.    He  say  Mink  Hall 
toF  him. 
SAM  (nodding) 

Yas — I  seen  Mink  uptown. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ah,  Sam-boy!  Mah  budigee  lovah!  Yo'  ain' 
nevah  gwine  ter  leave  me  agin,  is  yo'  ? 

SAM 

Nevah,  honey!  No,  indeedy!  Not  'less  dey 
takes  me  'way  in  a  box. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Yo's  de  bes'  ole  buddy  in  de  worl'! 
SAM 

Seem  ter  me  like  I  only  had  ter  shet  mah  eyes — 
night  or  day — an'  see  yo'  face.  Only  thinkin' 
'bout  yo'  kep'  me  from  killin'  ev'body  in  sight 
w'en  I'se  breakin'  mah  back  on  dem  rock  piles. 
Yo'  don'  know  w'at  kin'-a  hell  I  been  th'u',  gal. 
Kin'-a  hell  dat  sets  a  man  crazy — 'less  he's 
careful. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  knows,  I  knows.  Mus'-a  been  tumble!  Tur- 
rible!  Oh,  Gawd! 

SAM 

Yo'  all  stay  right  on  yere — all  de  time  ? 

LUCY   BELLE 

Yas,  yas.    Calc'lated  ter  move  two  or  free  times 
but  could'n'  fin'  nuffin'  ter  suit  me. 
SAM  (glancing  about  the  room  and  noting  that  the 
cupboard  and  large  easy  chair  are  missing) 

139 


GOAT  ALLEY 


Whar's  de  cupboard — an' — an'  dat  ole  easy 
chaiah? 

LUCY   BELLE 

I— I  sol'  'em. 

SAM 

Sol'  'em—! 
LUCY  (with  a  catch  in  her  voice) 

I — I  was  broke  dere  fo'  a  while — an'  I  had  ter. 
SAM  (in  tones  of  heartfelt  sympathy) 

Yo'  po'  kid !    (Stroking  her  hair.)    Dat's  all  right. 

We   am'   gwine   ter   boder   nuffin'    'bout   dat. 

(Studying  her  face  intently?)    Yo'  lookin'  mighty 

thin. 

LUCY   BELLE 

I'se  been  wukkin'  hard,  Sam.  'Tain't  so  easy 
fo'  a  gal  alone — an' — an' — wid  two  chillen. 

SAM 

I  know  it  ain',  honey-baby.    Nevah  min' — yo' 
ain'  gwine  ter  wuk  hard  no  mo'. 
LUCY  BELLE  (eagerly) 

Sam — Sam-boy — le's  me  an'  yo'  git  'way  from 
yere — ! 

SAM 

Wat  yo'  mean — from  Wash'nin' — ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yas,  yas.    From  dis  ole  hard-luck  town! 
SAM  (nodding) 
We  study  'bout  dat  d'rectly. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Le's  go  ter  Baltimo'.  Dey  was  mo'  wuk  w'en 
yo'  was  ovah  dere  befo' — an'  dey  paid  bettah 
wages. 

140 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM 

Don'  know  how  it  is  now. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Jes'  de  same — ev'ybody  tell  me.     An* — an*  ef 
we  stay  yere,  honey — de  po-lice  be  aftah  yo'  all 
de  time. 
SAM 
No  dey  won'. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Dey  will — yo'  knows  dey  will.  Ev'y  time  dey's 
a  HP  trouble  dey  gwine  ter  pick  yo'  up.  An'- 
an'  me  an'  yo'  am'  nevah  had  no  luck  in  dis 
town.  Befo'  we  was  gwine  ter  Baltimo'  jes'  as 
soon  as  yo'  got  a  steady  job — an'  den — at  las' 
we  was  gwine  anaway.  Ef — ef  we'd  picked 
right  up  an'  wen'  at  fust  ole  Jeff  Bisbee  'ud 
nevah  come  foolin'  'roun' — an'  yo'd  nevah  wen' 
ter  j  ail — would  yo'  ? 

SAM 

I  reckon  not. 

LUCY    BELLE 

I  knows  yo'  would'n'.    Aftah  all  de  trouble  we 
had  yere — I  hates  dis  place — !    I  gotta  feelin' 
dat  nuffin'  ain'  gwine  ter  come  right  long  as  we 
stay  yere.    I  wan's  ter  git  'way!    Le's  don'  wait 
dis  time.    Le's  git  'way  fo'  any  ob  dat  ole  hard 
luck  begin! 
SAM 
Lemme  git  rested  up  a  HI' — an'  den — 

LUCY    BELLE 

Baby,  le's  git  out  right  away — jes'  as  quick  as  we 
kin.     Mah  monf  yere   ain'   up    till  nex'   week 
but  I  don'  care.    Le's  pack  up  an'  beat  it — an' 
141 


GOAT  ALLEY 


git  'way  from  all  dat  hard  luck — an'  po-\ice  an' 

lyin'    an'    blackguardin'    niggahs.      Won'    yo', 

honey-baby?      Termorrer    or    nex'    day  —  de 

quicker  de  bettah. 
SAM  (nodding) 

All  right,  UT  gal.     Ef  dat's  w'at  yo'  wan's,  I 

reckon  we'll  do  it. 
LUCY  BELLE  (throwing  her  arms  about  him) 

Baby,  baby!    Gawd  bless  yo'!    Mah  Sam-boy! 

Mah  Sam-boy! 

(Aunt  Rebecca  enters.  Left.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (breaking  away  from  Sam) 
Oh,  Aun'  Becky!    Glad  ter  see  yo'! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Sam!    Gawd  bless  yo'! 

SAM 

H'yo' all  been? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Tolable!  'Tolable!  Down  wid  rheumatiz  fo'  a 
while — but  I'se  all  right  now.  Mighty  glad 
yo's  out. 

SAM 

I'se  mighty  glad  ter  be  out. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Mus'  'scuse  me.  I  got  ter  git  home  an'  cook 
some  suppah  fo'  mah  ole  man. 

LUCY   BELLE 

Don'  run  'way,  Aun'  Becky. 

AUNT   REBECCA 

Mus',  mah  chile!    See  yo'  some  mo! 

SAM 

Goodbye. 

142 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(Aunt  Rebecca  goes  out.  Back.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (moving  toward  the  Left) 
Honey-baby,  'scuse  me  a  minute. 

SAM 

Whar  yo'  gwine  ? 

LUCY  BELLE  (nodding  toward  Left) 
In  yere.    Be  right  back. 

(Sam  nods.  She  goes  out,  Left.  Sam  moves 
slowly  and  thoughtfully  about  the  room.  Pres 
ently  a  loud  knock  sounds  on  the  door,  Back.  As 
he  nears  it,  it  opens  and  Lizzie  Gibbs  rushes  in.) 

LIZZIE  (halting  abruptly) 

Sam! 
SAM 

Wat  in  hell  is  yo'  doin'  yere? 
LIZZIE 

Well — Sam!    So — so  yo's  out  again !    Mah  soul, 

but  I'se  damn  glad  ter  see  yo! 

SAM 

Wat  d'yo'  wan'?    D'yo'  yere  me? 
LIZZIE  (ingratiatingly) 

Sam,  kid — come  on  wid  me — fo*  a  good  time! 
Le's  cel'brate! 

SAM 

Ef  yo'  keep  foolin'  'roun'  me,  yo's  gwine  ter  git 
hurt. 
LIZZIE 

Sam — Sam,  ole  boy — now  hones',  w'at  is  I  evah 
done  ter  make  yo'  treat  me  like  yo'  has? 

SAM 

Go  'long!    Git  out-a  yere! 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LIZZIE  (with  a  show  of  anger) 

Yo's  a  damn  fool  fo'  stickin'  ter  dis  gal.     She 
don'  mean  yo'  no  good. 

SAM  (menacingly) 
Shet  up! 

LIZZIE 

She  don'  care  nuffin'  'bout  yo'! 

SAM  (stepping  toward  her) 
Wan'  me  ter  bus'  yo'  in  de  mouf  ? 

LIZZIE  (ingratiatingly  again) 
Sam — I'se  gwine  ter  git  a  good  job  uptown- 
Monday.  I'll  keep  yo'  dis  wintah}  ole  kiddo. 
Yo'  won'  haf  ter  do  no  wuk.  Should  think  yo' 
wan'  ter  take  it  easy — fo'  a  while — now  yo' 
out-a  jail.  Don'  yo'?  I'll  show  yo'  a  good  time, 
son.  Yo'  kin  lay  'roun'  an'  take  it  easy — an' 
git  drunk  w'en  yo'-a  min'  ter— 

SAM 

Git  out-a  yere! 

LIZZIE 

Sam,  I  don'  wan*  ter  see  nobody  like  yo'  git  tied 
up  agin  wid  a  wench  like  her.    Onct  was  'nuff— 
but — 

SAM 

Git  out-a  yere — d'yo'  yere  me?    Beat  it! 
LIZZIE  (angrily) 

Yo's  a  great  big  stiff  ter  let  a  gal  like  her  take 
yo'  in. 

(The  door>  Left,  opens  slightly  and  Lucy  Belle  can 
be  seen  listening?) 

SAM  (savagely) 
Shet  up! 

144 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LIZZIE 

Why,  she  been  runnin'  'roun'  wid  Chick  Avery 
— evah  since  yo' leP.  Ha!  Ha! 

SAM 

Dat's  a  lie! 
LIZZIE 

So  he'p  me  Gawd,  dat's  de  truf — an*  I  kin  prove 

it! 
SAM  (menacingly) 

It's  a  lie! 

LIZZIE 

She  bleed  yo'  ter  deaf  an'  den  tuhn  yo*  loose. 

I'se  tellin'  yo'! 
SAM  (hitting  her  on  the  jaw) 

Shet  up!    Yo'  blackguardin'  hussy! 
LIZZIE  (shrieking) 

Murder!    Murder!    Po-lice!    Po-lice!    Murder! 

(Sam  darts  out  the  door,  Back.  Lucy  Belle  closes 
the  door.  Left.  Hurried  footsteps  are  heard  off 
stagey  Back.  Lizzie  glances  out  of  the  window, 
Left  Back,  gives  a  little  gasp,  looks  wildly  about 
for  a  place  to  hide,  runs  to  the  closet  door,  opens 
it,  darts  in  and  pulls  it  shut  after  her.  A  police 
man  enters,  Back.) 

POLICEMAN  (calling  out) 
What's  the  trouble  here? 

(He  stands  looking  about  the  room  for  a  moment 
or  two,  then  advances  toward  the  door,  Left.  It 
suddenly  opens  and  Lucy  Belle  enters.) 

POLICEMAN  (gruffly) 
W7hat's  the  matter? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY    BELLE 

Nuffin' — nuffin'  at  all,  sir. 

POLICEMAN 

There  was  so !  (Striding  over  to  her.)  Who  was 
that  yellin' 5 

LUCY    BELLE 

I — I  don*  know,  sir.    It  was'n'  yere. 

POLICEMAN 

Stop  your  lyin'.     I  know  better! 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no!    Hones'  ter  Gawd! 

POLICEMAN 

Say — where  d'yuh  get  that  stuff?  Don't  yuh 
think  I  got  ears?  (Goes  to  the  door,  Left.) 
Who's  in  here  ? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Jes'  mah  chillen. 

(He  goes  out.  Left.  She  stands  watching  him.  In 
a  moment  he  re-enters.) 

POLICEMAN  (studying  her  with  an  ugly,  menacing 
look) 
I've  a  good  mind  to  lock  you  up  anyway. 

LUCY  BELLE  (with  a  beseeching  wail) 

Oh — ,  oh,  please  sir, — I  am'  done  nuffin' ! 

POLICEMAN  (as  he  moves  toward  the  door,  Back) 
Yuh  better  watch  your  step.     I  ain't  goin'  to 
stand  for  no  skylarkin'  around  this  neighbor 
hood. 

(He  goes  out,  Back,  and  closes  the  door  after  him. 
Lucy  Belle  turns  and  goes  off  hurriedly,  Left. 
She  re-enters  immediately  carrying  the  baby  in  her 
146 


GOAT  ALLEY 


arms  and  starts  toward  the  door.  Back.  A  second 
later  Fanny — in  her  nightgown — runs  in.  Left.) 

FANNY 

Mamma! 

LUCY   BELLE 

Hush,  chile! 

FANNY 

Whar  yo'  gwine? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Gwine  ter  take  de  baby  ovah  ter  yo'  Ann' 
Becky's.  Git  right  back  ter  bed.  Go  long! 

(Fanny  goes  out,  Left,  closing  the  door  after  her. 
Lucy  Belle  starts  again  toward  the  door,  Back. 
Lizzie  steps  abruptly  out  from  the  closet.) 

LIZZIE  (with  a  sardonic  leer) 

So  dat's  yo'  baby,  is  it? 
LUCY  BELLE  (halting  with  a* startled  cry) 

Oh!    Oh,  mahGawd! 

LIZZIE 

I  knowed  I'd  git  yo'!  Pretendin'  ter  be  such  a 
HI'  angel!  Ha!  Ha!  Been  up  ter  all  km'-a 
tricks,  am'  yo'? 

LUCY    BELLE 

Git  out-a  yere! 

LIZZIE  (slouching  slowly  toward  the  door,  Back") 
I  got  yo'  numbah,  now — yo'  lil'  rat!    Ha!    Ha! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Wat  in  hell  d'yo'  mean?    It  ain'  mah  chile! 

LIZZIE 

Ha!  Ha!  Ha!  Ain'  yo'  chile!  Ain'  yo'  chile! 
Yo's  a  good  lil'  liah,  ain'  yo'? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (passionately  defiant) 
No — it  am' — yo'  blackguardin'  hussy! 

LIZZIE 

Ha!  Ha!  It  sartainly  do  look  like  Chick — jes' 
'zactly.  Wait  till  I  tells  Sam.  He  one-a  dem 
kin*  dat  ain'  so  partic'lar.  He  don'  min'  acci 
dents  now  an*  den.  Ha!  Ha!  (She  goes  out, 
Back.) 

(Lucy  Belle  stands  staring  tragically  to  the  front. 
Suddenly  a  look  of  desperation  comes  into  her 
face  and  she  dashes  out.  Back.  Presently  Aunt 
Rebecca  enters.  Back,  and  looks  inquiringly 
about.) 

AUNT   REBECCA  (calling) 

Lucy  Belle!    Oh,  Lucy  Belle! 
(Fanny  runs  iny  Left.) 

FANNY 

Mamma  gwine  ovah  ter  yo'  house  wid  de  baby. 
AUNT  REBECCA  (nonplussed) 
Mah  house! 

FANNY 

Dat  w'at  she  say. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

'Deed,  chile,  yo'  all  mus'  been  dreamin'. 
FANNY  (with  a  whimper) 

Den — den  I  don'  know  whar  she  is. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yo'  been  dreamin'.    Go  'long  back  ter  bed. 

(Fanny  reluctantly  leaves,  Left.     Aunt  Rebecca 
sits  down  in  a  chair  and  chants  to  herself.) 
148 


GOAT  ALLEY 


AUNT    REBECCA 

Devil  gwine  ter  git  yo'!  Um — a — urn — a — um 
— a — um — a — um — a — um — a !  Devil  gwine  ter 
git  yo'!  Um — a — um — a — um — a — um — a — 
um — a!  Devil  gwine  ter  git  yo' ! 

{Suddenly  Slim  rushes  in,  Back,  breathing 
heavily  and  wild-eyed^ 

SLIM 

A-aun'  Becky! 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Yas!    Yas! 

SLIM 

Lucy  Belle  drown  de  baby! 

AUNT  REBECCA  (jumping  up  with  a  shriek) 
Oh !    Oh,  mah  Gawd !    Oh,  oh ! 

SLIM  (jerkily) 

Me  an'  Mink  Hall — an'  some  oder  niggahs— 
in  a  garne  ovah  by  dem  coal  chutes.  She  sneak 
'long  by  Graley's  ice  house — den  run  out  on  de 
wharf  an'  th'u  it  in.  Me  an'  Mink  seen  ef  we 
would  save  it — but  it  was'n'  no  use.  It — it  was 
too  da'k.  Soon  as  'Luce  seen  me  she  run'  as  fas' 
as  she  coul'.  I  believe  she  gone  plum  crazy. 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Gawd-a-massy!    Gawd-a-massy!    Datpo'  chile! 
I  knowed  somefin'  turrible  gwine  ter  happen. 
SLIM 
Yo' — yo'  ain'  seen  her,  is  yo'? 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Gawd-a-massy,  no! 
SLIM 

Come  on !    Le's  see  ef  we  kin  fin'  her. 
149 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(Aunt  Rebecca  and  Slim  go  out,  Back.  In  the 
course  of  a  brief  interval  Lucy  Belle  enters  stealth 
ily  y  Back, — dishevelled  and  terrified.  She  moves 
agitatedly  about  the  room,  twining  and  intertwin 
ing  her  fingers.  Presently  Sam  enters.  Back.) 

SAM 
Lucy  Belle! 

LUCY  BELLE  (in  tremulous  tones — as  she  pulls  her 
self  together  with  a  mighty  effort) 
Sam-boy! 

SAM 

Was'n'  gwine  ter  take  no  chances. 

LUCY  BELLE  (avoiding  his  direct  gaze) 
No,  no!    Honey-baby!    Mah  ole  budigee  honey- 
baby !    I'se  so  scar't  I  did'n'  know  w'at  ter  do. 

SAM  (sharply) 
Yo'  yere  w'at  she  was  tellin'  me? 

LUCY  BELLE  (lying) 
I  yere  jes'  a  In". 

SAM  (fiercely) 

She  say  yo'  all  been  foolin'  'roun'  wid  Chick 
Avery. 

LUCY    BELLE 

It's  a  lie!    Am'  a  wud  ob  truf  in  it! 
SAM  (grabbing  her  and  searching  her  face  with  a  gaze 
of  tense  scrutiny) 
Have  yo'? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no!     Sam!     Fo'  Gawd's  sake!     Yo'  don' 
believe  a  devil  like  her,  d'yo'  ? 
150 


GOAT  ALLEY 


SAM 

Ef  I  ketches  yo'  runnin'  wid  anabody  else  I'se 
gwine  ter  kill  yo' ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (passionately) 

Sam-boy!  Hones'  ter  Gawd — I  am'  had  nuffin' 
ter  do  wid  nobody  since  yo'  been  gone!  Nuffin' 
at  all!  Yo'  believe  yo'  lil'  budigee,  don'  yo'? 
Don'  yo'j  honey-baby? 

(Lizzie  enters,  Back.) 

LIZZIE  (with  a  cry  of  triumph) 
I  knowed  I'd  git  yo'  numbah! 

SAM 

Git  out-a  yere!    D'yo'  wan'  me  ter  kill  yo'? 
LIZZIE 

Sam — Sam — she  got-a  baby!    It  Chick  Avery's. 

It's  yere!    Dat's  de  way  she  treat  yo'  all!    Ha! 

Ha!      Makin'   a  damn   fool  ob   yo'!      I   alias 

knowed  yo's  an  easy  mark! 
LUCY  BELLE  (screaming) 

It's  a  lie!    It's  a  lie!    Don' yo' believe  her,  Sam ! 

(Sam  starts  for  Lizzie.  She  backs  out  of  the  door, 
Back.) 

LIZZIE  (just  outside  of  the  doorway — at  the  top  of  her 
voice) 

I  tol'  yo'  I'd  git  yo'!  I  tol'  yo'  I'd  git  yo'! 
Ha!  Ha! 

(Sam  starts  to  rush  out  after  her.  He  hesitates^ 
however^  and  finally  bangs  the  door  shut  and  turns 
to  Lucy  Belief 

SAM  (fiercely) 

Yo'  yere  w'at  she  say? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (palsied  with  fear) 

It  ain'  so!  It's  a  lie!  Yo'  knows  she  could'n' 
tell  de  truf!  She  nuffin'  but  a  dirty,  lyin' 
hussy — !  Yo'  don'  believe  her,  do  yo'? 

SAM  (harshly) 
Lemme  look  'roun'  yere! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Am'  no  use,  honey.     Yo'   ain'  gwine  ter  see 
nuffin'. 
SAM  (shoving  her  aside  roughly) 

Lemme  look!    (He  starts  toward  Left.) 

LUCY    BELLE 

Ain'  nobody  but  Fanny  an'  Israel  in  dere! 
SAM  (loudly) 

Ef  yo'  try  any  funny  bus'ness  wid  me  I'll  kill 
yo'!  Damn  yo'  heart  ter  hell! 

(He  goes  out.  Left,  closely  followed  by  Lucy  Belle. 
The  door  stands  open  and  their  voices  can  be 
heard.) 

LUCY  BELLE  (off  stage  ^  Left) 

See,  Sam — ain'  nobody  but  Fanny  an'  Israel. 
Don'  wake  'em  up!  Jes'  mah  clothes,  Sam-boy! 
Aw,  yo'  believes  me — don'  yo'?  Yo'  don'  be 
lieve  an'  ole  wench  like  her! 

SAM  (savagely) 

Chick  A  very  been  hangin'  'roun'  yere? 

LUCY    BELLE 

No,  no!  He  ain'  even  in  town  no  mo'.  It's  all 
a  dirty  lie!  Lizzie  alias  blackguardin'  me — 
don'  yo'  know  she  is — evah  since  yo'  an'  me 
met  up!  She  say  anathin' — anathin'  at  all  ter 
git  back  at  me. 

152 


GOAT  ALLEY 


( They  re-enter.  Left.) 

SAM  (grabbing  her  by  the  shoulder  and  swinging  her 
around  full-face  to  him) 
Yo'  is  seen  Chick  Avery! 

LUCY    BELLE 

No — no — I  am' — sweah  ter  Gawd  I  ain'!  Aw, 
Sam,  yo'  believes  yo'  honey-baby,  don'  yo'  ? 

(A  tense  pause.  He  stares  down  at  her  as  though 
trying  to  read  the  truth  in  her  eyes.) 

SAM  (at  length) 

Ef  she  keep  on  blackguardin'  yo',  I'se  gwine  ter 
kill  her! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  ain'  gwine  ter  boder  'bout  her — or  nobody, 
Sam-boy!  We  gwine  ter  git  'way  from  all  dem 
ole  niggahs  like  her — quick  as  we  kin !  Ain'  we, 
honey-baby?  (Fondly.)  Bes'  ole  buddy  in  de 
worl'!  I  wan's  yo',  Sam — jes'  yo' — nuffin'  else. 
SAM  (muttering) 

I'll  clean  up  fo'  dat  gal! 

LUCY    BELLE 

Yo'  loves  me,  don'  yo'? 

SAM  (impulsively  taking  her  in  his  arms  and  clasping 
her  tightly  to  him) 

Yo's  all  I  got  in  de  worl'!  Ef  yo'  fools  me,  I'll 
tuhn  bad  fo'  life. 

LUCY    BELLE 

Sam,  mah  budigee  baby,  mah  ole  Sam-boy  baby! 
Ain'  nuffin'  on  Gawd's  earf  I  would'n'  do  fo' 
yo'!  (Earnestly,  as  she  stares  up  into  his  face.) 
Yo'  an'  me's  gwine  ter  Baltimo'  right  'way  quick 
— ain'  we? 


GOAT  ALLEY 


(Sam  nods.) 

SAM  (fondly) 

Honey-baby!     Honey-baby! 

(Aunt  Rebecca  rushes  in  excitedly.  Back.) 

AUNT    REBECCA 

Lucy  Belle!  Mah  Gawd!  Lucy  Belle!  Is  yo' 
crazy?  Dey  fish  him  out — de  baby!  Oh,  mah 
Gawd! 

(Lucy  Belle  gives  a  stifled  cry  and  breaks  away 
from  Sam.) 

SAM 

Baby!    Wat  d'yo'  mean? 

(A  tense  silence  of  several  seconds.  At  length  Sam 
divines  her  meaning.  Aunt  Rebecca  staggers  back 
— under  the  stress  of  the  sudden  realization  of  what 
the  consequences  of  her  revelation  are  likely  to  be. 
Lucy  Belle  stands  at  one  side,  moaning  softly. 
Sam  rushes  at  Aunt  Rebecca,  hits  her  and  knocks 
her  out  through  the  door,  Back.  She  screams.  He 
rushes  over,  closes  the  door  and  locks  it.) 

SAM  (rushing  at  Lucy  Belle) 

Damn  yo'  black  heart  ter  hell!     (She  gives  an 

unearthly  shriek?)     Yo'  will   double-cross  me! 

Dis  is  de  way  yo'  pays  me  fo'  all  I  done  fo'  yo' ! 
LUCY  BELLE  (dropping  to  her  knees) 

Sam — Sam-boy — listen!    Lemme  tell  yo'!    Oh, 

Gawd!    It  ain' — 
SAM  (grabbing  her) 

I'll  show  yo'  how  ter  play  dat  km'-a  game! 


GOAT  ALLEY 


LUCY  BELLE  (frantically) 
Sam!     Sam! 

SAM 

I'll  fix  yo'! 

(He  takes  her  by  the  throat  and  slowly  chokes  her 
to  death.  She  struggles  desperately  to  free  herself. 
At  length  she  grows  quiet  and  her  body  limp.  He 
throws  her  on  the  floor ',  stands  gazing  at  her  for  a 
moment  or  two,  grabs  up  his  hat,  slinks  to  the  door. 
Back,  unlocks  it,  opens  it  cautiously  and  goes  out, 
closing  it  after  him.} 

CURTAIN 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN     INITIAL     FINE     OF     25     CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


DEC 


JUL 

MAY  29  1935 

OCT     1     1944 


KAY  H  8 


IN  STACKS 

ui*o 


RECTO 
JUKI  8    W6Q 


STACKS 


NOV30 


sec.  cm.   JUL  1  8  1879 


LD  21-50m-8.-32 


75817? 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


